Objective: To determine by biochemical methods the nutritional status of pre- and post-natal Turkish women and its relationship with offspring anthropometry.

Design: Longitudinal study.

Setting: Health centres in Istanbul and Izmit, research department and university hospital laboratories.

Subjects: Randomly selected group of women attending health centres at 13-17 weeks gestation (n = 130); same sample of women at 28-32 weeks gestation (n = 88) and 13-17 weeks post-partum (n = 95); offspring at 13-17 weeks post-partum (n = 90).

Interventions: Blood samples taken from mothers at all three stages and analysed for ferritin, iron, zinc, calcium, alkaline phosphatase, total protein, albumin, vitamins B2, B6, B12, A, E, beta-carotene and folate levels; questionnaire completed for recording medical and socio-demographic background. Anthropometric measurements taken from mothers and offspring.

Results: High percentages of subjects were at risk for deficiencies of vitamin B12 (48.8%) and folate (59.7%) in early pregnancy; ferritin (52.3%), zinc (72.3%), vitamin B2 (38.8%), vitamin B12 (80.9%), and folate (76.4%) during late pregnancy; and ferritin (39.0%), vitamins B2 (43.1%), B6 (36.4%), B12 (60.0%), and folate (73.3%) at the post-partum stage. Bone loss was indicated in 55.0% and 80.0% of the subjects in late pregnancy and post-partum respectively. Haematocrit in later pregnancy correlated strongly with prenatal body fat (P < 0.001). Infant anthropometry at 13-17 weeks post-partum was significantly affected by pre-natal weight gain and a number of maternal blood nutrients in pregnancy and post-partum.

Conclusions: Nutrition education programmes and enrichment of the staple food with iron, zinc, calcium, and the B vitamins should be considered.