The Prevention of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Infants

Abstract

The prevention of iron deficiency requires attention to the toal feeding regimen as well as to its iron content. The use of fresh cow's milk in early infancy, a common practice, is associated with the development of measurable degrees of iron deficiency. In many instances excessive amounts of milk produce severe iron deficiency anemia during the second year of life in infants of greater than average birth weight. The psychological factors leading to such milk intakes have been reviewed. Present evidence supports the hypothesis that occult blood loss is a major etiologic factor in iron deficiency in infancy. Although the mechaisms of intestinal damage by fresh cow's milk protein is highly suspect and that the concentration of protein in the formula may play a significant role. What about iron fortification of infant formulas? Itis becoming clear that fullterm infants fed prepared formulas having protein concentrations approaching that of human milk and fed diets containing about 7 mg of iron daily after the age of 3 months infrequently develop biochemical iron deficiency. The addition of iron to the formula at levels of 10 to 12 mg/gt is assurance that their intake is adequate, whatever the iron intake from other foods. Low-birth-weight infants have increased iron needs because of their rapid growth. Iron-ofrtified formulas are necessary for these infants. Since iron from fortified formulas is well absorbed during the first three months of life, even if it is not immediately used for hemoglobin formation, an inccrease in the iron stores will occur...