Maternal anemia type during pregnancy is associated with anemia risk among offspring during infancy.

Abstract

BACKGROUNDWe evaluated the association between etiology of maternal anemia and iron status throughout infancy.METHODSSamples from a study designed to examine Praziquantel treatment during pregnancy were used (n=359). All women were infected with schistosomiasis and randomized to Praziquantel or placebo at 16±2 weeks gestation. Hemoglobin, serum ferritin (SF), soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), hepcidin, C-reactive protein, and interleukin-6 were measured in maternal and infant blood. The relationship between both maternal Praziquantel treatment and etiology of anemia and infant iron status was evaluated.RESULTSMaternal iron deficiency anemia was associated with increased risk of infant anemia at six months of age. Infants of mothers with the lowest levels of circulating hepcidin during gestation, likely a marker for iron deficiency, had higher sTfR:SF levels and lower hemoglobin levels, particularly at twelve months of age. Maternal non-iron deficiency anemia (NIDA) did not impact infant anemia risk or iron status. Maternal treatment for schistosomiasis had no effect on infant hematologic status.CONCLUSIONSMaternal iron deficiency anemia was associated with an increased risk for anemia or iron deficiency during late infancy. We did not observe an association between maternal NIDA and increased risk for iron deficiency during infancy.Clinical Trial Registration