The prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia among pregnant women attending public prenatal clinics in Belize stands at 52 percent, ranging from 63 percent in Cayo District to 32 percent in Orange Walk District. This was established by a study of 4,661 women attending public health centers, carried out across the country during the latter part of 1995. These results represent a 30 percent increase in the prevalence rate since a previous study was carried out in 1988.

Other findings of the study are:

Iron supplements were not available in 67 percent of the country's health centres at the time of the study. Time for the delivery of haemoglobin (Hb) test results ranges from one day to two months, with some results never received at all.

Implications of these findings are that:

Emergency action should be taken to address the high rate of maternal iron deficiency anaemia. This could include public education, revitalization of the iron supplementation programme, and steps toward iron fortification of basic foods. Based on the results of this study, the problem of anaemia is most likely present in populations other than pregnant women, again calling for immediate action trough public education and iron fortification of basic foods.