The association between aflatoxin and iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Aflatoxin, a toxin produced by Aspergillus fungi, contaminates various food sources in Indonesia and has been associated with health issues. The aim of this study was to assess the association between aflatoxin and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in third trimester pregnant women.METHODS: Observational and cross-sectional study that included 104 third trimester pregnant women who did antenatal care at RSIA Sitti Khadijah 1, Makassar. The study used simple random sampling and data were analyzed using χ2 test, Mann-Whitney Test, and logistic regression.RESULTS: The prevalence of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in third trimester pregnant women was 32.7%. BMI, ferritin levels, and aflatoxin levels have been shown significantly associated with IDA. Aflatoxin levels were found to be higher in the IDA group compared to the control. (0.069 ng/mL vs. 0.148 ng/mL). Logistic regression analysis showed that there was no significant correlation between aflatoxin and IDA.CONCLUSIONS: There is an association between aflatoxin levels and iron deficiency anemia, although it may be indirect. Further research is needed with a larger sample size to confirm it.

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