DIAGNOSTIC UTILITY OF THE MENTZER INDEX IN DIFFERENTIATING IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN

Abstract

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of the Mentzer Index for differentiating iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in pregnant women, using serum ferritin levels as the gold standard.

Study Design: Cross-sectional validation study.

Study Setting: The study conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, PIMS Hospital, Islamabad.

Study Duration: Six Months (December’24 to May’25)

Methodology: A total of 152 anemic pregnant women (hemoglobin <11 g/dL) aged 18-45 years were enrolled via non-probability convenience sampling. A complete blood count (CBC) was performed to calculate the Mentzer Index, and serum ferritin levels were measured to confirm IDA. Diagnostic performance was assessed by calculating sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and overall accuracy.

Results: The prevalence of IDA (serum ferritin <30 ng/mL) was 57.24%. The Mentzer Index demonstrated a sensitivity of 80.46%, a specificity of 80.00%, a PPV of 83.33%, an NPV of 76.71%, and an overall diagnostic accuracy of 80.25%.

Conclusion: The Mentzer Index is a reliable, cost-effective, and simple screening tool with good sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women, particularly in resource-limited settings where advanced tests are not routinely available.