Iron deficiency is the leading cause of anemia during pregnancy.
Overall it is estimated that the prevalence of iron deficiency during pregnancy is near 18% during the three trimesters of pregnancy.
An estimated 5% of pregnant women have iron deficiency anemia.
Iron deficiency is the most common pathologic cause of anemia during pregnancy,and the is due in part to higher maternal iron needs, and the physiological changes that occur during pregnancy.
There is a disparity prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in the US by race, ethnicity, and social factors.
Iron is necessary for production of hemoglobin, required for transport of oxygen throughout the body and is necessary for the production of additional proteins vital to various metabolic pathways.
Increased iron demand during pregnancy, enhances vulnerability to iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia.
Screening for iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia includes measurements of hematologic indices, and abnormal screen test results follow with treatment with iron therapy.
Black and Hispanic American pregnant persons are disproportionately affected by iron deficiency, anemia and pregnancy.
Risk factors for iron deficiency in pregnancy include: a diet low in iron rich foods, G.I. conditions or medications that decrease iron absorption, or short interval between pregnancies.
Tobacco use, and living in a high altitude may affect hematologic indices due to increases in hematocrit and hemoglobin.
The USPSTF found in adequate evidence on the benefits of screening for iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in asymptomatic pregnant persons.
There is inadequate evidence of the benefits of the treatment for screening detected iron deficiency and iron deficiency, anemia, in asymptomatic, pregnant persons, and there is no evidence on the association between change and iron status because of treatment of screen detected iron deficiency or iron deficiency anemia, and improvement of maternal or infant health outcomes.
Routine prenatal iron supplementation reduces the incident of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy, but evidence on health outcomes is limited or indicates no benefit.