EFFECT OF PROCESSED AND ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD CONSUMPTION AND IRON PROFILE IN PREGNANT WOMEN

This study was cross-sectional and examined the relationship between iron-index factors and the intake of processed (PF) and ultra-processed (UPF) foods in 100 pregnant women in the second and third trimesters and 100 non-pregnant women (as a control group) in Baghdad, Iraq. In addition to laboratory-based measurements of blood parameters (hemoglobin, MCV, serum iron, ferritin, transferrin, and TIBC), dietary consumption was evaluated twice using a 24-hour recall questionnaire and categorized using the NOVA system. The findings indicated that while there was no significant difference in the intake of ultra-processed meals (P=0.491), pregnant women consumed considerably more processed foods (mean 2.34 vs. 1.96; P=0.003). Correlation analyses showed the most startling finding: in both groups (pregnant and non-pregnant), there was a strong negative association (P=0.001) between the consumption of processed and ultra-processed foods and levels of hemoglobin, MCV, serum iron, ferritin, and transferrin. This was true even though there were no significant differences in iron marker variables (such as hemoglobin and ferritin) between the two groups (apart from elevated platelets (P=0.002) and WBC counts (P=0.006) in pregnant women). Additionally, there was a significant positive correlation (P=0.001) between the two groups' TIBC levels and the meals they consumed. The study comes to the conclusion that indices of iron storage (ferritin) and circulation iron (hemoglobin) are adversely correlated with greater intake of processed and ultra-processed meals.and significantly affects iron homeostasis in women of reproductive age, regardless of pregnancy status.