Abstract: ［Abstract］Objective〖HTSS〗To explore the relationship between hepcidin and red blood cell parameters, iron parameters, erythropoietin(EPO) and the inflammatory markers C-reactive protein by observing the expression level of hepcidin in pregnant women with different degrees of iron deficiency anemia and to further elucidate the regulation mechanism of hepcidin in pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia.
  〖WTHZ〗Methods〖HTSS〗A total of 80 pregnant women and healthy pregnant women were selected for regular prenatal examination .The experiments were divided into four groups: healthy control group, normal pregnant women group, pregnant women with mild anemia group, pregnant women with moderate anemia group. All blood samples were collected after 8 h of fasting. Blood routine analysis was performed using a blood cell analyzer LH750. hepcidin, EPO, serum ferritin(SF), and serum transferrin(TRF) were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Serum iron and total iron binding capacity(TIBC) were measured by spectrophotometric method. Immunoturbidimetric assay for C-reactive protein(CRP).
  〖WTHZ〗Results〖HTSS〗Compared with the healthy control group, hemoglobin(Hb), hematocrit(Hct), SI and hepcidin in the normal group, the mild anemia group and the moderate anemia group were all decreased, while CRP was all increased. Compared with the healthy control group, mean corpuscular volume(MCV), mean corpuscular hemogolobin(MCH) and mean corpuscular hemogolobin concentration(MCHC) were decreased and TIBC was increased in the mild anemia group and the moderate anemia group. Compared with the healthy control group, EPO was increased in the pregnant women with moderate anemia group, with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05). Compared with the normal group of pregnant women, Hb, Hct, MCV, MCH, MCHC, SI and TIBC were decreased in the mild anemia group and the moderate anemia group.Compared with the normal group of pregnant women, EPO and CRP in the group of pregnant women with moderate anemia were increased, and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05). Compared with the mild anemia group, Hb, Hct, MCV, MCH and SI in the moderate anemia group were all decreased, while TIBC and EPO were all increased, with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).Hepcidin was positively correlated with Hb, Hct, MCV, MCH, MCHC and SI, and negatively correlated with TIBC and EPO, with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).
  〖WTHZ〗Conclusion〖HTSS〗Iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy may be related to the down-regulation of hepcidin expression, possibly through the inhibition of EPO.

Key words: anemia, iron-deficiency, duration of pregnancy, hepcidin