infection and micronutrient deficiency in pregnant women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND

Over the last few years, epidemiological studies have shown that infection with has a major effect on micronutrient deficiency as well as on adverse pregnancy outcomes. Importantly, there are gaps in understanding the linkage of infection with micronutrients deficiency in pregnant women.

OBJECTIVE

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the association between infection and micronutrient deficiencies in pregnant women.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted for relevant articles using PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus database from inception to March 2020. The OR with 95% CIs was determined by meta-analysis of data extracted from the selected studies.

RESULTS

From 2384 primary articles, 6 studies were selected for systematic reviews and 4 studies distinctively (with 1274 participants: 553 cases and 721 controls) were selected for meta-analysis. The meta-analysed fixed effect model estimated the odds of having infection was not significantly higher among pregnant women with micronutrient deficiencies than those without deficiencies (OR=1.12, 95% CI 0.88 to 1.42, p=0.37). In the subgroup analysis, no correlation was found between infection and vitamin B (OR=0.74, 95% CI 0.45 to 1.21, p=0.22), folate (OR=1.07, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.58, p=0.73), and ferritin (OR=0.81, 95% CI 0.51 to 1.31, p=0.4). However, a positive correlation was found between iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA) and infection (OR=16.23, 95% CI 4.19 to 62.93, p<0.0001) during pregnancy.

CONCLUSION

infection is associated with increased risk of IDA but not with deficiency of other micronutrients in pregnancy.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42019135683.