The Hindu : New Delhi News : Pregnant women at a high risk of anaemia

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jul 29, 2007
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New Delhi

Pregnant women at a high risk of anaemia

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Despite several government initiatives, India continues to have a very high prevalence of anaemia during pregnancy, with one in five of all maternal deaths being attributed to it.

Pregnancy places increased iron demands on women since it is needed to support the increase in blood volume, the growth of the foetus and blood loss during childbirth. “It is estimated that women need 50 per cent more iron during pregnancy in order to avoid anaemia which means 30 mg of iron per day. The average Indian diet does not contain more than 10-15 mg of iron,” said Delhi Gynaecological Forum secretary general Shard Jain, at a seminar on ‘Rising and Uncontrollable Anaemia in India: Blame it on the Phytates in our Staple Diet’ organised at the Indian Medical Association here this past week.

Nutrient iron

“Moreover, the Indian diet usually is high in phytates, substances which bind the nutrient iron. As the iron-binding phytates are not broken down in the gastrointestinal tract, the body absorbs only 5 per cent of all the iron consumed by food. The rest is excreted by the body leading to decrease in iron absorption in the body. Anaemia is the biggest cause of school dropout in this country and the country is loosing billions and billions of dollar,” she added.

The Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr. Suneeta Mittal, said: “Several government-aided programmes have been operational for over 35 years to eradicate anaemia, but a majority of the women present themselves late in pregnancy with moderate or severe anaemia, when very little time is left to take corrective measures.”

Experts at the seminar added that iron supplements should be selected based on compliance, bio-availability, low on the risk of iron overload, having a minimal gastrointestinal disturbance and the ability to make phytic acid ineffective like sodium feredetate. Said Indian Menopause Society president Sonia Malik: “Pregnant women are advised to receive proper advice from their doctors on nutrition supplementation.”

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