988 Am J C/in Nuir 1992;56:988-93. Printed in USA. © 1992 American Society for Clinical Nutrition Cross-sectional study on the iron and vitamin A status of pregnant women in West Java, Indonesia1’2

ABS’I’RAC’I ’ A cross-sectional study of the prevalence of iron and vitamin A deficiency in normal pregnant women in West Java, Indonesia, was earned out. Ofthe 3 18 women studied, 49.4 % were anemic and, according to multiple criteria, 43.5% had iron-deficiency anemia, 22.3 % had iron-deficient erythro-poiesis, and 6.6 % had iron depletion. Serum retinol values re-vealed that 2.5 % ofthe pregnant women were vitamin A deficient and 3 1 % had marginal vitamin A status. The relative dose-re-sponse test carried out on 45 women showed that 4 (8.9%) had deficient vitamin A liver stores. After gestational stage, parity, and subdistrict were adjusted for, serum retinol concentrations were significantly positively associated (P < 0.0 1) with hemo-globin concentrations, hematocrit, and serum iron concentra-tions. The suboptimal vitamin A status associated with nutni-tional-deficiency anemia suggests that pregnant women in the area should be supplemented not only with iron but also with vitamin A. This proposal should be tested in an intervention study. Am J C/in Nutr l992;56:988-93