Iron Deficiency in Women of Fertile Age in a Swedish Community

Abstract. Observations on haemoglobin, packed cell volume, mean cell haemoglobin concentration, serum iron, serum iron binding capacity and serum iron saturation were made before and after three months of supplementation of iron and placebo to respectively 121 and 63 apparently healthy women of fertile age. A significant change in the observed parameters was defined on the basis of the changes in the placebo group. Such a change in one or several of the parameters was observed in about 30% of the women receiving iron. The property of the observed changes to be predicted from initial values was investigated; and it was found that a change in haemoglobin, or, equally well, in packed cell volume was the most predictable change. The best predictor for the change in haemoglobin, or packed cell volume, was found to be the initial value of the parameter itself. A slightly better prediction was obtained by a linear combination of the initial values of haemoglobin, packed cell volume and serum iron saturation.