Nutritional studies of pregnant women in East Harlem

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Abstract
A survey was conducted among 346 low-income, pregnant women attending a clinic for high obstetric risk patients to observe several biochemical indices of nutritional status and to assess the adequacy of their diets. Approximately half of the women were Puerto Rican and one-third were Black American. The sample also included Haitians and Spanish-speaking women from Latin America and the Caribbean Islands. Biochemical analyses provided evidence for poor intake of iron and ascorbic acid. About one-fourth of the women had serum iron levels in the deficient range. The iron-deficient women tended to be younger, less parous, and sought clinic care later in pregnancy than women with normal serum iron levels. About one-fifth of the women had either deficient or marginal levels of plasma ascorbic acid. Seven percent had low red cell transketolase activity; 7% had marginal red cell riboflavin levels. None of the women had low plasma vitamin A levels. Evaluation of 24-hr dietary recalls taken before nutrition counselling indicated that the women's diets were low in all nutrients except protein. Intakes of energy, calcium, and iron were most likely to be inadequate. The women over 35 years old consumed less of many nutrients than the teenagers but their diets were similar in quality (nutrients per 1000 kcal). The groups of women subsequently delivering non-live infants and small-for-gestational age infants had, at the time of their first clinic visit, diets that were poorer both quantitatively (lower nutrient intake) and qualitatively (lower intake per 1000 kcal) than women subsequently delivering either full-term or premature infants.