Abstract

This study was designed to estimate mean daily iron intake and its bioavailability and to assess nutrition knowledge for 144 pregnant women in the last trimester. Serum ferritin concentration was analyzed to estimate their iron stores. Dietary intakes of iron(heme iron and nonheme iron), the amounts of MPF(meat, poultry and fish) and ascorbic acid were assessed by modified 24-hr recall method. The food frequency questionnaire was used to assess subjects usual food consumption patterns. The mean value of serum ferritin was 21.3+/-15.3ng/ml and 26.4% of the pregnant women had a serum ferritin level<12ng/ml(i.e. depleted iron stores). The mean daily intake of total orin in the pregnant women was 56.5%(17.0 mg) of RDA and heme iron intake was 0.94 mg which was 5.5% of total iron intake. Total absorbable iron calculated by the method of Monsen was 2.41 mg and bioavailability of dietary iron was 2.41%. Food frequency test score of meats group was positively correlated(r=0.443) with the bioaavailability of dietary iron. The mean score on the nutrition knowledge test of subjects was 12.76(out of a possible 20 points). These results indicate that the nutritional iron status may be improved by increasing either the amount of iron in the diet or its availability.

• Keywords: iron intake; heme iron; iron availability; nutrition knowledge; pregnant women