Building better brains with iron

Abstract

Iron is a critical nutrient for brain development. Extremely low birth weight infants are at high risk because they are deprived of iron transfer late in pregnancy. The Committee on Nutrition of the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends an iron intake of at least 2 mg/kg/day for all preterm infants through 12 months of age. Iron deficiency in that population is exacerbated by rapid postnatal growth and blood loss through phlebotomies. These deficits may be counterbalanced by red cell transfusions; however, there are concerns about iron overload in infants transfused multiple times and receiving an enteral supplementation.