Дефицит железа и селена и демографический кризис в России и Латвии: Iron and selenium deficiency and a demographic crisis in Russia and Latvia

Whether iron (Fe) and selenium (Se) deficiency in pregnant women of Russia and Latvia influences a demographic situation in these countries was investigated in the study of 100 pregnant women at different terms of gestation with Fe deficiency (iron deficiency anemia or latent iron deficiency). The women were examined for lipid peroxidation intensity (by MDA level), activity of SOD (RANSOD test) and SeGPx (RANSEL test), total antioxidant status (TAS test), serum vitamin concentration. Fe deficiency was diagnosed in 100% pregnant women; 42.7% of them had iron deficiency anemia, the rest had latent iron deficiency. The mean level of plasmic ferritin was X̄ = 13.7 ± 6.8 mcg/l. High MDA in plasm, vitamin E concentration in the serum, SOD activity in the red cells, low parameters of RANSEL and TAS tests confirm Fe and Se deficiency in pregnant women of Russia and Latvia. It is inferred that Fe and Se deficiency complicates pregnancy and thus may eventually deteriorate demographic situation in the country.