Objective: To investigate the iron status of pregnant Saudi Women livi
ng in the Jeddah area. Design: The iron status was assessed by measuri
ng haematological parameters (haemoglobin, haematocrit, mean corpuscul
ar volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin) and biochemical parameters
(serum ferritin, serum iron, total iron binding capacity and transfer
rin saturation). Setting: Al-Shati Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Sub
jects: 11.9 pregnant women were introduced into the study when they we
re at 20-24 weeks of gestation (mid-pregnancy). Of these, 72 women wer
e followed up at late pregnancy (36-40 weeks). Results: The mean serum
ferritin level at mid pregnancy was 17.3 +/- 1.8 ng/ml which was not
significantly different from that at late pregnancy (17.9 +/- 2.0 ng/m
l). No significant difference was seen in the concentration of serum i
ron in the women between mid (63.5 +/- 1.8 mug/dl) and late (64.8 +/-
3.0 mug/dl) pregnancy. The mean serum level of haemoglobin between mid
(11.6 +/- 0.1 g/dl) and late (11.9 +/- 0.2 g/dl) pregnant women was n
ot significantly different. The mean level of haematocrit was signific
antly increased at late pregnancy (p < 0.05), as were folic acid and t
otal iron binding capacity (p < 0.001); whereas transferrin saturation
was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Through measurem
ent of different biochemical and haematological parameters which were
compared with the international cut-off levels, the prevalence of iron
deficiency was recognizable among the pregnant Saudi women which coul
d probably be due either to the nutritional status or to the small dos
e of iron therapy given.