Serum Ferritin in Pregnancy: The Effect of Iron Supplementation

Abstract

Summary: Serum ferritin concentration was measured in 196 pregnant women at different stages of gestation. The effect of supplemental iron during pregnancy on ferritin concentration was also studied. The mean serum ferritin concentration in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy was within the normal range for females, but in 13% of patients presenting before the 13th week of gestation the concentrations were in the range of iron deficiency. The values fell in all patients by the 28th week of gestation, but the fall was significantly greater in those subjects not taking supplemental iron and in these the levels were in the range of iron deficiency by the 35th week. By the 6th postpartum week, values had risen in all patients whether iron supplemented or not, but the rise was significantly less in the non‐supplemented group. Serum ferritin appears to provide a useful assessment of body iron stores during pregnancy, particularly in an iron deficiency state not severe enough to produce frank microcytosis, hypochromia, or anaemia.