Iron supplementation among pregnant women: results from a population-based survey study.

OBJECTIVES To measure the prevalence and risk factors associated with iron supplementation among pregnant women in the municipality of Rio Grande, Southern Brazil. METHODS All mothers living in this municipality who had children in 2007 were surveyed for demographic, socioeconomic and health care received during pregnancy and childbirth. The statistical analysis consisted of Poisson regression with robust adjustment of variance, and the measure of effect was prevalence ratio (PR). RESULTS Among the 2,557 mothers interviewed (99% of total), 59% were supplemented with iron during pregnancy period. After adjusting for various confounding factors, a higher PR to iron supplementation was observed among teenagers, women with black skin color, primigravidae, who had six or more antenatal visits, who performed prenatal care in public sector and received vitamin during pregnancy. CONCLUSION There is a clear need to increase the iron supplementation coverage of all pregnant women, especially among those currently considered with low gestational risk.