Pregnant women are more susceptible to malaria and iron deficiency, both of which cause anaemia.

Maternal anaemia and malaria are associated with adverse birth outcomes such as low birth weight and preterm birth, and thus increased perinatal mortality rates.

However, the contribution of iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) during pregnancy has been less well established (as a separate factor from anaemia due to other causes). This is related to difficulties of diagnosing IDA, which are exacerbated by both the pregnant state and the influence of infections such as malaria on iron markers.

This study aims to determine the prevalence of IDA, and describe the association between IDA and adverse birth outcomes, in a cohort of pregnant women in a rural, malaria-endemic region of Papua New Guinea. There is also evidence that iron deficiency reduces malaria risk, thus, how malaria interacts with the association between IDA and adverse birth outcomes is also in question.