A study commissioned for the first time has provided evidence to suggest that fluoride consumption through drinking water and/or food can induce anaemia (Hb below 9 gm/dl) resulting in low birth weight babies < 2.5 kg body wt.
Women less than 20 week pregnancy and haemoglobin less than 9 gm/dl and upto 5 gm/dl were included in the study group.
Urinary fluoride, higher than the normal upper limit (1.00 mg/L) were included in the study group
The control groups had (1) high urinary fluoride and (2) urinary fluoride within normal levels.
The routine iron and folic acid supplementation continued.
The interventions practised by the Study Group women were:
Identified all the fluoride containing food items consumed and were advised to withdraw.
Simultaneously, fruits, vegetables and dairy products containing calcium, iron & folic acid, vitamin C, E and other antioxidants were promoted liberally through daily diet.
Control Groups (1)&(2) were not introduced to interventions
By the time the lady in the Study Group delivered, it was possible to raise haemoglobin from 5 gm/dl to 13.5 gm/dl and the baby born with a body weight of 3.45 kg.
It is evident that the Study Group women, 95 % gave birth to normal healthy babies, body weight ranging from 2.5 – 3.45 kg.
In the Control Group(1), where urinary fluoride high and no interventions practised, 75% women gave birth to low birth weight babies < 2.5 kg body weight.
In the Control Group(2), where urinary fluoride was within normal limits, the babies born were 50% low birth weight and 50% normal birth weight. This also suggests that, if these women have had better nutritive diet, the babies would have been healthier.
