Jumaan RM*1, Al-Habouri MA1, Ba-Rahim FM2, Al-Matari NM2, Al-Ademi AA2
1Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sana'a University, Yemen 2Laboratory Department, Al-Thawra General Hospital, Sana'a, Yemen
Introduction:
Anemia is a major public health issue. It affects about a billion people in the world [1] and approximately half of the anemia worldwide is due to nutritional iron deficiency [2]. Iron deficiency anemia is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide. It
decreases working capacity, cognitive performance, and immunological defense
aWHO has defined "adolescents" as people in the 10-19 years age range against infections. Girls at the age of 10-19 years are considered a vulnerable group due to
significant physiological growth and maturation, iron losses at menstruation, and pregnancy; particularly in developing countries where they are married at an early age. They become exposed to greater risk of reproductive morbidity and mortality.
Women of fertile age have a delicate iron balance and display a high prevalence of small body iron stores and iron deficiency [3-6]. Most pregnant women who begin their pregnancy with decreased iron stores and/or with an insufficient iron supply undergo a high risk of becoming either iron deficient or anemic. Existing data suggest that