Abstract

PEREGO, María del Carmen et al. Nutritional and biochemical markers during early pregnancy at Maternidad Sarda of Buenos Aires. Acta bioquím. clín. latinoam. [online]. 2005, vol.39, n.2, pp.187-196. ISSN 0325-2957.

The study of biochemical markers in pregnant women allows for the early diagnosis of pregnancy pathologies and for the prevention or lessening of those affecting their children. The objective was the description of hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum iron, serum ferritin, reticulocytes, total protein, albumin, Ca, P, Mg, alkaline phosphatase, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, serum folate, and B12 vitamin values in 314 pregnant women before the 16th gestational week (between 2000 and 2002). Exclusion criteria were multiple pregnancies, major congenital anomalies and Rh isoimmunization disease. Biochemical techniques were applied according to international standards with previous informed consent, with internal and external quality controls. 14% of pregnant women were anemic and 39% had no iron stores; only 24% reaching a proper reticulocyte response. Besides 33% had low protein levels, 20.5% low albumin levels and 61.4% low calcium levels, meanwhile near half of them did not reach minimal levels of serum folate or B12 vitamin. These results could have a deleterious influence over fetal growth, higher incidence of preterm delivery and less iron stores in newborn. Preconceptional interventions are proposed, such as intake of food with iron and folate enrichment and iron supplement during pregnancy.

Keywords : pregnancy; anemia; seric iron; ferritin; albumin; calcium; folate; B12 vitamin; preterm delivery; fetal growth.

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