Table 1.
Prevalence of Micronutrient Deficiencies Among Pregnant Women Assessed in the Palestinian Micronutrient Survey 2013,7 the Gaza Strip (N = 583).
| Nutrient status indicator | Cutoff reference values | First trimester, % (95% CI)a | Second to third trimesters, % (95% CI)a |
|---|---|---|---|
| N | 140 | 443 | |
| Hemoglobin | |||
| Moderate anemia | 70-99.9 g/L | 4.3 (0.9-7.7) | 14.4 (11.1-17.7) |
| Mild anemia | 100-109.9 g/L | 16.4 (10.3-22.5) | 28.4 (24.2-32.6) |
| Serum ferritin (iron status) | |||
| Deficient | <12 ng/mL | 23.6 (16.6-30.6) | 38.6 (35.4-41.8) |
| Low | <15 ng/mL | 9.3 (4.5-14.1) | 8.8 (6.2-11.4) |
| Serum Zinc | |||
| Deficient | 1st trimester: < 8.6 µmol/L 2nd to 3rd trimester: <7.6 µmol/L |
67.9 (60.2-75.6) | 84.7 (81.3-88.1) |
| Serum folic acid | |||
| Deficient | <6.8 nmol/L | 0.0 | 1.4 (0.3-2.5) |
| Low | 6.8-13.3 nmol/L | 1.4 (0.0-3.3) | 8.6 (6.0-11.2) |
| Serum retinol | |||
| Deficient | <0.7 µmol/L | 11.4 (6.1-16.7) | 18.6 (15.0-22.2) |
| Low | 0.7-1.04 µmol/L | 41.2 (33.0-49.4) | 37.7 (33.2-42.2) |
| Serum vitamin B12 | |||
| Deficient | <110 pmol/L | 27.9 (20.5-35.3) | 51.0 (46.3-55.7) |
| Low | 110-146 pmol/L | 10.0 (5.0-15.0) | 19.9 (16.2-23.6) |
| Serum vitamin D | |||
| Deficient | <25 nmol/L | 78.6 (71.8-85.4) | 69.0 (64.7-73.3) |
| Low | 25-49 nmol/L | 21.4 (14.6-28.2) | 31.0 (26.7-35.3) |
| Serum α-tocopherol | |||
| Deficient | <11.6 µmol/L | 17.5 (11.2-23.8) | 3.3 (1.6-5.0) |
| Low | 11.6-16.1 µmol/L | 25.4 (18.2-32.6) | 12.3 (9.2-15.4) |
a 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated with the point estimates (p) obtained from the Palestinian Micronutrient Survey 20137 and the following formula: .