The potential impact of iron supplementation during adolescence on iron status in pregnancy

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) during pregnancy is associated with significan t morbidity for mothers and infants. Over 50% of pregnant women in developi ng countries suffer from IDA. It is also prevalent among adolescent girls b ecause the growth spurt and onset of menstruation increase iron requirement s. Women who conceive during or shortly after adolescence are likely to ent er pregnancy with low or absent iron stores or IDA. Iron supplementation du ring adolescence is one of the new strategies advocated to improve iron bal ance in pregnancy. However, iron requirements are highest in the second and third trimesters and the model described here indicates that iron balance at this stage depends more on adequate intakes of bioavailable iron than on the size of the iron stores at conception. Furthermore, although supplemen tation will correct anemia and increase iron stores in girls, the positive effect on iron status will be temporary if their diets do not contain adequ ate bioavailable iron. Although iron status in early pregnancy may be impro ved if the period of supplementation continues up to the time of conception , supplementation before pregnancy should be viewed as an additional strate gy to supplementation during the second and third trimesters.