Table 1 Characteristics of the populations studied

n

470

175

Age

<20 years

20.6%

(97)

17.1%

(30)

≥20 years

79.4%

(373)

82.9%

(145)

Gestational age

13–14 weeks

9.1%

(43)

6.3%

(11)

15–16 weeks

25.7%

(121)

25.1%

(44)

17–18 weeks

29.6%

(139)

26.3%

(46)

19–21 weeks

24.5%

(115)

30.3%

(53)

22–25 weeks

11.1%

(52)

12.0%

(21)

Gravidity

Primigravida

18.1%

(85)

17.7%

(31)

Secundigravida

19.6%

(92)

16.0%

(28)

Multigravida

62.3%

(293)

66.3%

(116)

Plasma CRP concentration, mg/L

4.3

[2.1–10.4]

0

Plasma AGP concentration, g/L

0.72

[0.60–0.93]

0

Inflammation

Plasma CRP concentration ≥10 mg/L

26.8%

(126)

0

Plasma AGP concentration ≥1 g/L

18.1%

(85)

0

Plasma concentrations of CRP ≥10 mg/L, or AGP ≥1.0 g/L

32.3%

(152)

0

HIV infection

21.1%

(99)^a

0

Plasmodium infection

Any Plasmodium infection,^b by dipstick or PCR

37.2%

(175)

0

Current or recent P. falciparum infection, by either HRP2- or pLDH-based dipstick

19.5%

(91)

0

P. falciparum, by PCR

34.7%

(163)

0

Haemoglobin concentration, g/L

113.2

(11.4)

115.7

(10.8)

Anaemia (haemoglobin concentration <110 g/L)

37.2%

(175)

25.7%

(45)

Plasma ferritin concentration, μg/L

13.9

[8.2–29.2]

10.6

[7.0–18.5]

Iron status

Iron deficient (plasma ferritin concentration <15 μg/L)

52.8%

(248)

64.6%

(113)

Iron replete (plasma ferritin concentration ≥15 μg/L, without inflammation)

27.2%

(128)

35.4%

(62)

Uncertain (plasma ferritin concentration ≥15 μg/L, with inflammation)

20.0%

(94)

0

Whole blood ZPP, μmol/mol haem

90

[68–121]

87

[63–121]

Whole blood ZPP >70 μmol/mol haem

73.4%

(345)

69.1%

(121)

Erythrocyte ZPP, μmol/mol haem

36

[20–66]

42

[20–74]

Erythrocyte ZPP >70 μmol/mol haem

23.4%

(110)

28.6%

(50)

Erythrocyte ZPP >40 μmol/mol haem

46.4%

(218)

52.6%

(92)

EP concentration, μg/L

203

[117–428]^a

224

[130–476]^c

Plasma sTfR concentration, mg/L^d

1.94

[1.48–2.63]

1.87

[1.36–2.62]

Plasma transferrin concentration, g/L

3.12

(0.56)

3.21

(0.54)

Plasma folate concentration, μg/L^e

6.91

[5.45–9.39]^f

6.55

[5.21–8.87]^c

Plasma folate concentration <3 μg/L

0.6%

(3/466)^f

0.6%

(1/174)^c

Plasma vitamin B₁₂ concentration, pmol/L^g

425

[311–651]^f

413

[307–638]^c

Plasma vitamin B₁₂ concentration <150 pmol/L

0.9%

(4/466)^f

0.6%

(1/174)^c

Plasma bilirubin concentration, μmol/L

6.9

[4.9–9.4]^f

7.1

[4.8–9.4]^c

α ⁺-thalassaemia genotype

Normal

51.2%

[109/213]^h

48.4%

[44]ⁱ

Heterozygote

41.3%

[88/213]^f

42.9%

[39]ⁱ

Homozygote

7.5%

[16/213]^f

8.8%

[8]ⁱ