In plain words
Transferrin saturation is a blood measure that shows how much of the iron-carrying protein, transferrin, is holding iron. It is calculated from serum iron and transferrin levels. When iron stores drop, transferrin saturation falls. That fall often comes before anemia shows up on a blood count. It is read together with , which measures stored iron. In pregnancy and after birth, these measures help show how much iron the body has to work with. A low result is one reason a provider may check iron status again. It is not a diagnosis by itself, because inflammation and other conditions can change the numbers. Your provider reads the full set of results.
The deeper version
Transferrin saturation (TSAT) is serum iron divided by total iron-binding capacity, expressed as a percentage. progresses through depletion of stores (low ferritin), iron-deficient erythropoiesis (low TSAT with rising soluble transferrin receptor), and finally anemia with microcytosis and hypochromia. Inflammation lowers serum iron and raises ferritin, so TSAT and ferritin are interpreted together with an inflammatory marker. cut-offs for anemia in pregnancy are published by the WHO (2011), with ferritin and TSAT used as supporting markers of iron status.
Where it comes up
- Low iron and anemiaPregnancy: Your Body
- Iron-rich foods and how to absorb themPregnancy: Eating
- Blood-building foods after birthNourishment and Traditions
- Anemia and exhaustion after birthPostpartum: Your Body
What mothers here say about transferrin saturation
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Sources
- World Health Organization — Haemoglobin concentrations for the diagnosis of anaemia and assessment of severity, 2011
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Recommendations to Prevent and Control Iron Deficiency in the United States, MMWR 1998