Iron and Zinc deficiency and haematological correlates among anaemic pregnant women attending ante-natal clinic at Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State

ABSTRACT Background: Pregnancy is one of the risk factors for the development of iron deficiency anaemia. Minerals and micronutrients are essential for haematopoiesis, normal foetal growth and development. Aim: To determine the incidence of zinc and iron deficiency and their relationship to other haematological parameters in pregnancy. Method: This is a cross-sectional study involving 50 pregnant and 25 non-pregnant women. Socio-demographic data and blood samples were obtained over 6 months for serum iron and zinc assay and haematological analysis using standard protocols. The results obtained were analysed using SPSS version21. Independent T-test and ANOVA were used to compare the difference between the means of the groups studied. Pearson’s correlation was used to determine the relationship between the variables. Results: 24/50 (48%) of the pregnant participants were anaemic and zinc deficient (44/50, 88%). All of the iron deficient pregnant women 14/50 (28%) were also zinc deficient, except one. The observed cases of isolated zinc deficiency among the anaemic pregnant women was 13/24 (54.1%). Pregnant women had significantly lower PCV (p=0.025) and higher values of MCH (p=0.016) and MCHC (p