Infant Iron Research Articles

Antiretroviral Treatment Is Associated With Iron Deficiency in HIV-Infected Malawian Women That Is Mitigated With Supplementation, but Is Not Associated With Infant Iron Deficiency During 24 Weeks of Exclusive Breastfeeding.

In resource-limited settings without safe alternatives to breastfeeding, the WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding and antiretroviral (ARV) prophylaxis. Given the high prevalence of anemia among HIV-infected women, mothers and their infants (through fetal iron accretion) may be at risk of iron deficiency. We assessed the effects of maternal micronutrient-fortified lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS) and maternal ARV treatment or infant ARV prophylaxis on maternal and infant iron status during exclusive breastfeeding from birth to 24 weeks. The Breastfeeding, Antiretrovirals, and Nutrition study was a randomized controlled trial conducted in Lilongwe, Malawi, from 2004 to 2010. HIV-infected mothers (CD4 >200 cells/μL) and their infants were randomly assigned to 28-week interventions: maternal LNS/maternal ARV (n = 424), maternal LNS/infant ARV (n = 426), maternal LNS (n = 334), maternal ARV (n = 425), infant ARV (n = 426), or control (n = 334). Longitudinal models tested intervention effects on hemoglobin (Hb). In a subsample (n = 537) with multiple iron indicators, intervention effects on Hb, transferrin receptors (TfR), and ferritin were tested with linear and Poisson regression. In longitudinal models, LNS effects on maternal and infant Hb were minimal. In subsample mothers, maternal ARVs were associated with tissue iron depletion (TfR >8.3 mg/L) (risk ratio: 3.1, P < 0.01), but not in ARV-treated mothers receiving LNS (P = 0.17). LNS without ARVs was not associated with iron deficiency or anemia (P > 0.1). In subsample infants, interventions were not associated with impaired iron status (all P > 0.1). Maternal ARV treatment with protease inhibitors is associated with maternal tissue iron depletion; but LNS mitigates adverse effects. ARVs do not seem to influence infant iron status; however, extended use needs to be evaluated.

The modern view on the problem subsidies iron in preterm infants

Iron deficiency is estimated to range between 25% and 80% in preterms during infancy. Iron deficiency in infancy is associated with a range of clinical and neurodevelopmentally important issues including abnormalities of behavior. Low birth weight infants are particularly susceptible to developing iron deficiency anemia since they typically have small iron stores at birth and a greater need for iron. Unless augmented by external sources, the endogenous iron stores of preterm infants at birth meet their iron demands only until the doubling of the birth weight, i.e., approximately until 2–3 months of age. Due the potential adverse impact of iron deficiency on developing organ systems, preventive measures appear to be crucial.The need for iron therapy in preterm infants has been debated at least since the 1950s. But there are wide variations in iron supplementation practices among neonatal units. Numerous studies over the last decade differ somewhat in assessing the effectiveness of subsidies iron premature babies and in need of scientific reasoning. In summary, the preterm infant is at risk of both iron deficiency and iron overload. There is a paucity of information on the long-term effects of iron supplementation on hematological and non-hematological parameters, such as growth and neurodevelopment. Тhe potential for organ injury with excess iron suggests that therapy should be instituted carefully in the preterm infants. There are wide variations in the dose, initiation and duration of supplementation and iron compounds used for enteral supplementation. An important issue is also the the choice of drug for grants elemental iron. It was proved higher efficiency of trivalent iron administration which is more fast stabilization of hematological indices and reduces the need of blood transfusions.The article provides an overview of the available preventive recommendations enteral administration of iron premature babies. Randomized controlled trials are needed to determine whether iron supplementation in low birth weight/premature infants affects neurodevelopment (short and long term) and long term growth, and to comprehensively monitor potential adverse effects. Such studies should also aim to determine if specific cohorts of low birth weight / premature infants are more likely to benefit from iron supplementation, and the optimal dose, timing, and duration of iron supplementation.

Contemporary views concerning the necessity, age of indication and duration of iron administration to prevent deficiency and to treat iron-deficiency anemia in infants

Nowadays deficiency of micronutrients leading to the development of serious disorders in the human organism remains an important problem to be solved in the world. Anemia is considered to be one of such problems which is an indicator of the quality of diet and the sate of human heath. About 70-80% cases of diagnosed anemia are connected with iron deficiency. Iron-deficiency anemia may occur in any place, season of the year and age. Although pregnant women and newborns, especially preterm ones are the most susceptible to the development of anemia. The article specifies explanations concerning the importance of iron intake by the fetus in the III trimester of pregnancy and the importance of iron effect upon an adequate development of fetus and babies in the first 2 years of life. Perinatal risk factors are indicated which cause 20% of development of iron-deficiency conditions and pathophysiological reasons of a negative influence of these conditions on the CNS. Using the findings of the unified protocol project “Enteral Feeding of Preterm Infants” and results of the studies investigating the influence of iron preparations upon the development of infants, CNS state, hematological status, the age to indicate iron preparations, daily doses and duration of their administration are discussed.Attention is focused on the advantages to administer oral forms of ferric iron (drops, syrup “Maltofer”) for infants. The method to calculate a daily amount of iron preparation is demonstrated individually for every child, being aware of a therapeutic dose of an elementary iron in 1 ml of preparation. The analysis of the studies existed from 1960-2010 enables to conclude that administration of iron preparations in newborns and infants of various gestational age improve the indices of iron hematological status and reduce the frequency of development of iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia. Till now there is a necessity to conduct randomized controlled trials with the aim to get essential evidence concerning the consequences of iron preparation effect upon the development of the nervous system or occurrence of unfavourable effects in preterm newborns, especially in infants with very low body weight at birth.The optimum dose, the term of the beginning and duration of the administration of ferric iron use indicated for intravenous injection are defined: gestational age of a baby, hematological indices (the level of hemoglobin, serum ferritin, mean corpuscular volume), the aim achieved (prevention of iron deficiency or treatment of iron-deficiency anemia).

Health Foods Consumption in China and Unchartered Territory of Related Industry?

A balanced diet can provide nutritious elements to meet the physical needs in human bodies which can make all body functions effective. Therefore, it is highlighted in Dietary Guidance for Chinese the book was commissioned by NHFPC and edited by China Nutrition Society (2011) However based on a national survey of 2004 The Chinese has the potential risk of lack of calcium, riboflavin, Vitamin A, and zinc following the Chinese dietary pattern. The iron deficiency is frequently faced due to its low bioactivity (Ge, 1995) the study of Zhu and Liao (2004) has confirmed that the prevalence of iron in Chinese infants and young children were at relatively high risk. Then the intake of health foods which are enriched in vitamins, minerals or fortified nutrients can help Chinese people meet the basic nutrition needs. After understanding the value of health foods, the market demands of health foods are discussed. The Chinese market of dietary supplements will represent a 105 billion RMB market in 2011 (ASKCI, 2012) China is already the second largest consumer of dietary supplements after the USA. However, the Chinese market specificity is its very strong segmentation with a lot of very small manufacturers. The 50 largest producers occupy only 1/3 of the market. Therefore, corresponding strategies with the aim of improving health foods industry through promulgating relevant policies were initiated by the government. Besides of the goals setting on food and nutrition development in 2020, the market size of health foods, which replaces the traditional dietary therapy (Ge, 2011), is distinctively expanding due to the fast economic growth and political development. Since 1997, 14,857 and 735 kinds of domestic and imported health foods were registered with CFDA respectively (CFDA, n.d.). It is forecasted that the market of health foods would be boosting in following years according to the under mentioned policies made.

Routine Iron Supplementation and Screening for Iron Deficiency Anemia in Pregnancy: A Systematic Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

Routine screening and supplementation for iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in asymptomatic, nonanemic pregnant women could improve maternal and infant health outcomes. Update of a 2006 systematic review by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force on screening and supplementation for IDA in pregnancy. MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library (1996 to August 2014) and reference lists of relevant systematic reviews to identify studies published since 1996. English-language trials and controlled observational studies about effectiveness of screening and routine supplementation for IDA in developed countries. Data extraction and quality assessment confirmed and dual-rated by a second investigator using prespecified criteria. No study directly compared clinical outcomes or harms of screening or not screening pregnant women for IDA. Twelve supplementation trials were included, and no controlled observational studies met inclusion criteria. On the basis of 11 trials, routine maternal iron supplementation had inconsistent effects on rates of cesarean delivery, small size for gestational age, and low birthweight and no effect on maternal quality of life, gestational age, Apgar scores, preterm birth, or infant mortality. Twelve trials reported improvements in maternal hematologic indices, although not all were statistically significant. Pooled analysis of 4 trials resulted in a statistically significant difference in IDA incidence at term, favoring supplementation (risk ratio, 0.29 [95% CI, 0.17 to 0.49]; I2= 0%). Maternal iron supplementation did not affect infant iron status at 6 months. Harms, none of which were serious or had long-term consequences, were inconsistently reported in 10 of the trials, with most finding no difference between groups. Data from trials in countries with limited generalizability to U.S. populations were included. Studies were methodologically heterogeneous, and some were small and underpowered. There is inconclusive evidence that routine prenatal supplementation for IDA improves maternal or infant clinical health outcomes, but supplementation may improve maternal hematologic indices. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The role of serum hepcidin and ferroportin1 in placenta on iron transfer from mother to fetus

目的测定不同缺铁程度足月孕妇血清铁调素的浓度及胎盘中膜铁转运蛋白1(FPN1) mRNA的表达水平，探讨其在母婴铁转运中的作用及调控机制。方法以55例足月孕妇为研究对象，检测母婴HGB、血清铁（SI）及血清铁蛋白（SF)水平。采用RT-PCR方法检测胎盘组织FPN1 mRNA的表达水平，应用双抗夹心生物素-亲和素-酶联免疫吸附试验检测血清铁调素浓度。比较不同铁状态孕妇FPN1 mRNA及铁调素浓度的差异。结果不同缺铁程度组孕妇相应新生儿脐血HGB、SI、SF水平比较差异均无统计学意义（P值均>0.05）。正常组、铁缺乏组及缺铁性贫血(IDA）组孕妇血清铁调素浓度分别为（193.637±52.219)、(176.523±43.875）及（147.623±37.768)µg/L，差异有统计学意义(F=3.872,P=0.027)；胎盘FPN1 mRNA的表达水平分别为0.462±0.077、0.507±0.074及0.551±0.104，差异有统计学意义(F=4.767，P=0.013)。孕妇血清铁调素水平与胎盘FPN1 mRNA表达水平呈负相关(r=−0.383, P=0.004)。结论不同缺铁程度孕妇相应新生儿铁状态无明显差异，随着母体缺铁程度的加重，血清铁调素浓度下调，胎盘FPN1 mRNA表达上调。

Infant nutritional outcomes in an integrated agriculture, health and nutrition program in Western Kenya

The Mama SASHA project integrated an orange‐fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP)‐focused, agricultural‐nutrition education intervention into delivery of routine health services and pregnant women's clubs. It aimed to improve diets, nutrition and health of pregnant /lactating women and their infants. We enrolled 505 women from intervention and control facilities during first antenatal care visit in early pregnancy. Infant anthropometry, vitamin A and iron status were assessed at 4 and 9 mos of age and anemia at 9 mos. There were no significant socioeconomic differences at enrollment. OFSP consumption was significantly higher and maternal MUAC significantly lower in intervention mothers at enrollment and throughout the follow up period. Mean birth weight was 3.27±0.5 kg and did not differ between groups. At 9 mos household food security and coverage with VA supplementation were significantly higher in controls; consumption of OFSP was significantly higher in intervention infants. From 4 to 9 mos postpartum, stunting increased significantly in controls (6.9% to 10.6%, p&lt;0.05); stunting decreased nonsignificantly in the intervention group (11.5% to 10.3%, p&gt;0.05). There was no change in either underweight from 4 to 9 mos (intervention: 3.1% to 3.3%; controls: 3.9% to 4.3%) or wasting (intervention: 2.1% to 1.6%; controls: 2.9% to 2.7%). There were no significant group differences in infant micronutrient status or anemia at 4 or 9 months. Further analysis will evaluate impact using mixed models that control for clustering, repeated measures and confounding.

Vitamin A Deficiency and Mother‐Infant Correlations in Bolivia

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) affects an estimated one‐third of preschool‐aged children in developing countries and is an important contributor to global child mortality. The goal of this analysis was to identify risk factors of VAD in a cohort of Bolivian infants. Healthy infants (n=163) were recruited from 2 hospitals in El Alto, Bolivia, and followed from 1 to 6 months of age. Blood specimens taken at 6 months were analyzed for retinol‐binding protein (RBP) levels (VAD defined as RBP &lt; 0.7 µmol/L), C‐Reactive Protein (CRP), and alpha(1)‐acid glycoprotein (AGP). Potential covariates in logistic regression models of VAD included infant gender, stunting (length‐for‐age Z score &lt; ‐2), iron deficiency (ferritin&lt; 12 μg/L), acute respiratory or diarrheal illness, breastfeeding, maternal age, maternal vitamin A supplementation, maternal employment, and access to private toilets. Elevated CRP (&gt;5 mg/L) and AGP (&gt;1 g/L) were included in all models to account for inflammation. Prevalence of VAD was 25%. Backwards elimination indicated maternal age (OR: 4.6, 90% CI: [1.8‐11.4] for 25‐30 vs. 20‐25 years), maternal employment (0.4 [0.2‐0.9]) and elevated CRP (3.1 [1.2‐7.9]) were significantly associated with VAD using an alpha of 10%. These results suggest that sociodemographics may be an important risk factor for VAD, while inflammation also affects measures of VAD. A limitation of this study is the small sample size and subsequent lack of power, which will be improved as data collection continues.

An Overview of Iron in Term Breast-Fed Infants.

BACKGROUNDIron is an essential nutrient for normal growth and neurodevelopment of infants. Iron deficiency (ID) remains the most common micronutrient deficiency worldwide. There are convincing data that ID is associated with negative effects on neurological and psychomotor development.OBJECTIVESIn this review, we provide an overview of current knowledge of the importance of iron in normal term breast-fed infants with a focus on recommendations, metabolism, and iron requirements.CONCLUSIONSHealth organizations around the world recommend the introduction of iron-rich foods or iron supplements for growing infants to prevent ID. However, there is no routine screening for ID in infancy. Multicenter trials with long-term follow-up are needed to investigate the association between iron fortification/supplementation and various health outcomes.

Household Food Insecurity, Mother's Feeding Practices, and the Early Childhood's Iron Status.

Background:Health consequences of food insecurity among infants and toddlers have not been fully examined. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between household food insecurity, mother's infant feeding practices and iron status of 6–24 months children.Methods:In this cross-sectional study, 423 mother-child pairs were randomly selected by multistage sampling method. Children blood samples were analyzed for hemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations. Household food security was evaluated using a validated Household Food Insecurity Access Scale. The mother's feeding practices were evaluated using Infant and Young Child Feeding practice variables including: The duration of breastfeeding and the time of introducing of complementary feeding.Results:Based on the results, of the studied households only 47.7% were food secure. Mild and moderate-severe household food insecurity was 39.5% and 12.8%, respectively. Anemia, iron deficiency (ID), and iron deficiency anemia were seen in 29.1%, 12.2%, and 4.8% of children, respectively. There was no significant association between household food insecurity; mother's feeding practices and child ID with or without anemia.Conclusions:We found no association between household food insecurity and the occurrence of anemia in the 6–24 months children. However, these findings do not rule out the possibility of other micronutrient deficiencies among the food-insecure household children.

Antiretroviral Treatment Is Associated With Iron Deficiency in HIV-Infected Malawian Women That Is Mitigated With Supplementation, but Is Not Associated With Infant Iron Deficiency During 24 Weeks of Exclusive Breastfeeding

Antiretroviral Treatment Is Associated With Iron Deficiency in HIV-Infected Malawian Women That Is Mitigated With Supplementation, but Is Not Associated With Infant Iron Deficiency During 24 Weeks of Exclusive Breastfeeding

Effect of maternal cigarette smoking on newborn iron stores

Maternal smoking has been known to have a negative impact on the well being of the developing fetus. Prenatal smoking has been associated with premature births, low birth weight and with certain birth defects. Small research studies have also found a negative correlation between maternal smoking and neonatal body iron. To study and compare the relationship between maternal and infants' body iron in smokers and non-smokers in a large matched-pair cohort. This was a prospective cohort study involving 144 mothers - 72 smokers and 72 non-smokers and their respective infants. Samples were obtained from maternal and infants' cord blood at delivery for Serum transferrin receptor (sTfR) and ferritin levels. Serum TfR and ferritin were measured by RAMCO ELISA and RIA assays. Total Body Iron (TBI) was calculated using the sTfR/ferritin ratio in a previously described formula by Cook et al. Women who smoked had lower sTfR, higher ferritin and higher body iron compared to nonsmoking women. In contrast to their respective mothers, we found a small, but statistically significant negative correlation between smoking and infants' total body iron. The number of packs per day smoked was also negatively correlated with infants' ferritin and total body iron. Lower birth weight was noted in babies of smokers compared to nonsmokers (mean /- SD =3270 +/-475 vs. 3393 g +/- 475 g, p=0.03). Women who smoked during pregnancy had higher iron stores but their newborn infants had lower iron stores than those of non-smoking mothers. The more packs per day (PPD) and more days smoked during pregnancy led to lower total body iron of the babies. There may be a negative dose-dependent response between fetal smoke exposure and infant iron stores.

Assessing the potential of wild foods to reduce the cost of a nutritionally adequate diet: an example from eastern Baringo District, Kenya.

Wild foods and their actual and potential contributions to nutrition security have rarely been studied or considered in nutrition and conservation programs. To study the role of wild food biodiversity in achieving a cost reduction of a nutritionally adequate diet for women and young children in Kenya using linear programming. An ethnobiological inventory of available food biodiversity was carried out by means of focus group discussions, and five wild foods were selected for further modeling. A market survey assessed available food prices by season. Diets were modeled to minimize cost and maximize nutrient adequacy using the Cost of Diet linear programming tool. Modeling was done without and with wild foods. The modeled diets without wild species were deficient in iron for all age groups during the dry season, deficient in vitamin B6 and calcium for infants aged 6 to 8 months during the dry season, and deficient in iron and zinc for infants aged 6 to 8 months over the whole year. Adding wild foods, especially Berchemia discolor, to the modeled diets resulted in a lower-cost diet, while meeting recommended iron intakes for women and children between 12 and 23 months of age. Even after integrating wild foods into the model, targeted approaches are needed to meet micronutrient requirements for infants from 6 to 8 and from 9 to 11 months of age. An application of linear programming to screen available wild foods for meeting recommended nutrient intakes at a minimal cost was illustrated. This type of study helps to objectively assess the potential of biodiversity to contribute to diets and nutrition.

Hepcidin and iron homeostasis during pregnancy.

Hepcidin is the master regulator of systemic iron bioavailability in humans. This review examines primary research articles that assessed hepcidin during pregnancy and postpartum and report its relationship to maternal and infant iron status and birth outcomes; areas for future research are also discussed. A systematic search of the databases Medline and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health returned 16 primary research articles including 10 human and six animal studies. Collectively, the results indicate that hepcidin is lower during pregnancy than in a non-pregnant state, presumably to ensure greater iron bioavailability to the mother and fetus. Pregnant women with undetectable serum hepcidin transferred a greater quantity of maternally ingested iron to their fetus compared to women with detectable hepcidin, indicating that maternal hepcidin in part determines the iron bioavailability to the fetus. However, inflammatory states, including preeclampsia, malaria infection, and obesity were associated with higher hepcidin during pregnancy compared to healthy controls, suggesting that maternal and fetal iron bioavailability could be compromised in such conditions. Future studies should examine the relative contribution of maternal versus fetal hepcidin to the control of placental iron transfer as well as optimizing maternal and fetal iron bioavailability in pregnancies complicated by inflammation.

Iron deficiency anaemia in reproductive age women attending obstetrics and gynecology outpatient of university health centre in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.

Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional disorder in the world. The aim of this questionnaire based survey study was to determine the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in reproductive age women, and their relation to variables such as age, marital status, education with those attending obstetrics and gynecology outpatient of King Faisal University Health Centre in Al-Ahsa in eastern region of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This study was conducted for the period of 6 month staring from September 2012 to February 2013. The questionnaire had three sections on personal information: their educational indicators, gynecological clinical history, and hematological indices. The average age was 25.97±7.17 years. According to the gynecological clinical history of the respondents, 15 (48.4%) respondents were pregnant while 16 (51.6%) were not pregnant. There was significant effect of pregnancy status on Hb level. Majority of the anemic respondents 15/17 were married. Moreover 14/17 anemic women were experiencing severe menstrual bleeding, 11/17 respondents were pregnant. 54.8% of respondents were hemoglobin deficient while 77.4% were found to have low Hct. In 87.1 % of the respondents, transferrin saturation was found to be abnormal. In this study iron deficiency anemia is quite prevalent in the university community especially among pregnant women. The fetus's and newborn infant's iron status depends on the iron status of the pregnant woman and therefore, iron deficiency in the mother-to-be means that growing fetus probably will be iron deficient as well. Thus iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy in well-educated set up needs more attention by the concerned authorities.

COMPARISON OF IRON STATUS BETWEEN BREAST FED AND NON BREAST FED INFANTS

Objective: The objective of this study is to compare the iron status of breast fed and non breast fed infants. study design Cross- sectional analytical study.&#x0D; Setting: This study was done in department of Pediatrics Medicine Services Hospital, Lahore.&#x0D; Duration with Dates: Twelve months (15-3-07 to 14-3-08)&#x0D; Methods: Hundred infants with age ranging from 4 to 6 months were selected. The patients were divided into two groups of 50 each. Group A included exclusively breast fed infants and group B included non breast fed infants. Both groups were assessed for iron status by specific investigations including hemoglobin level (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), RBC’s morphology, serum iron and ferritin levels.&#x0D; Results: The mean age of infants in group A was 5.5 + 0.7 months. Mean age of infants in group B was 5.6 + 0.7 months. Mean Hb of infants in group A was 12.69±0.61 g/dl and group B was 11.1±0.73 g/dl with statistically significant p value of &lt; 0.05. Mean MCV of infants in group A was 91.9±3.5 fL and group B was 84.5±3.5 fL with p- value of &lt; 0.05. Mean MCH of infants in group A was 29.8±0.89 pg and group B was 27.1±1.0 pg with p value of &lt; 0.05.Mean MCHC of infants in group A was 35.4±1.9 g/dl and group B was 32.8±1.6 g/dl with p value of &lt; 0.05. Mean serum iron of infants in group A was 26.27±2.8 micromole/l and group B was 19.66±3.3 micromole/l with p value of &lt; 0.05. Mean serum ferritin of infants in group A was 118.6±12.5 microgram/l and in group B was 88.1±9.4 microgram/l with statistically significant p value of &lt; 0.05.&#x0D; Conclusion: It is concluded from the study that exclusive breast feeding is sufficient to maintain adequate iron status in initial six months of infancy.

Maternal knowledge and Performance about Use of Iron and Multivitamin Supplements in children in Northwest, Tabriz-Iran

Introduction Micronutrients deficiency, especially iron and vitamins, is a common nutritional problem among children under 2 years in Iran. The aim of the present study is to assess the awareness and performance of mothers about the use of iron and vitamin supplements in infants under 2 years. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 762 mothers of 6-24 months infants referred to the Children’s Hospital of Tabriz in 2012 and 2013. They completed questionnaire. Data was collected through a three partite questionnaire and analyzed through interviews with mothers about the use of iron and multivitamin supplements. Data were analyzed by descriptive- analytic tests and using SPSS 11.5. Findings: The results showed that the number of mothers with high, moderate, and low awareness was 115 (15.09%), 456 (59.84%), and 91 (25.06%), respectively. The number of mothers with good, moderate, and poor performance was 186 (24.4%), 379 (49.74%), and 197 (25.86%), respectively. There was a significant relationship between education level and the performance of mothers (P<0.05(. Conclusion: Periodic retraining courses for health staff, technicians, and nutrition and children experts play a key role in increased knowledge, attitudes, and practices of health staff. Such courses will improve the ability of health staff to transmit correct educations to mothers. Most important factor in avoiding the use of vitamin and iron drops is their taste and teeth stain, the production and use of supplements with better taste and fewer side effects can be effective.

Linking infant iron status, brain function, and looking behavior during a memory task (810.36)

No definition of iron deficiency (ID) exists for infants under 12 mo, but young infants (4‐6 mo) are at risk of anemia and depleted iron stores. Nutritional insults during peak brain development (late gestation thru early infancy) may affect long‐term memory. Previous human studies used global cognitive measures, and cannot link ID to impaired memory via specific brain abnormalities. This study examined the links between iron status (hemoglobin (Hb), ferritin, transferrin receptor and body iron), memory function, and brain activity in 40 infants, aged 4‐6 mo. Memory performance was assessed via a Paired Comparison (PC) task and brain function via a similar task with synchronous electroencephalography (EEG). Mixed and logistic regression models were used to estimate the effect (OR) of iron status on 1) amplitude and latency of EEG peaks related to memory; 2) novelty preference and look duration in the PC. Covariates include quality of mother‐infant interactions and infant age, gender, and SES. Nearly 10% of infants were anemic (Hb &lt;110 g/L) and over 70% had mild anemia (Hb 110‐120 g/L). Over 60% of infants showed novelty preference in the PC. This work will inform a definition of ID in infants &lt;12 mo.Grant Funding Source: Supported by the USDA/NIFA (Hatch# 2012‐13‐228) and NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (JEH)

Correlations between quality of mother‐infant interactions and infant iron levels (810.35)

Studies have shown differences in the social‐emotional behavior of infants with iron deficiency (ID) and especially iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Infants with ID are more hesitant and less likely to explore their environments than iron replete infants. ID has also been linked to reduced cognitive function after repletion and into adulthood, yet there is no clinical definition of ID in infants younger than 12 mo. In this study, 4‐7 mo. old infants and their mothers were evaluated with the PROCESS score, which quantifies the quality of the mother‐infant interactions and has been linked to behavior into adolescence. The PROCESS score was also used to develop measures of maternal warmth, caring, and responsiveness, and composure. Infant iron levels were assessed with multiple biomarkers: hemoglobin, serum ferritin, and serum transferrin receptor. Correlations between infant iron levels and the overall quality of the mother‐infant interactions, as well each separate category, were estimated using mixed and logistic regression models. Confounding factors included: maternal education and age, infant age, birth weight, birth order and diet. Infant iron levels were weakly positively correlated with quality of mother‐infant interactions (r2=0.18 and r2=0.02). These results could be important in predicting later behavioral and resulting cognitive problems.Grant Funding Source: Supported by the USDA/NIFA (Hatch# 2012‐13‐228) and NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (JEH)

Neonatal iron status is impaired by maternal obesity and excessive weight gain during pregnancy.

ObjectiveMaternal iron needs increase 6-fold during pregnancy, but obesity interferes with iron absorption. We hypothesized that maternal obesity impairs fetal iron status.Study Design316 newborns with risk factors for infantile iron deficiency anemia (IDA) were studied to examine obesity during pregnancy and neonatal iron status. Erythrocyte iron was assessed by cord blood hemoglobin (Hb), zinc protoporphyrin/heme (ZnPP/H) and reticulocyte-ZnPP/H and storage iron by serum ferritin.ResultsWomen with body mass index ≥30 kg/m2, as compared with non-obese women, delivered larger offspring with higher reticulocyte-ZnPP/H, and lower serum ferritin concentrations (p<0.05 for both). With increasing BMI, estimated body iron was relatively lower (mg/kg) and the ratio of total Hb-bound iron (mg)/total body iron (mg) increased. Maternal diabetes compromised infant iron status, but multivariate analysis demonstrated that obesity was an independent predictor.ConclusionsObesity during pregnancy and excessive weight gain are independent risk factors for iron deficiency in the newborn.