The interplay between maternal–infant anemia and iron deficiency

Abstract Iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy is a major public health problem known to cause maternal morbidity and adverse birth outcomes, and it may also have lasting consequences on infant development. However, the impact of the maternal hematological environment on fetal and infant hemoglobin an...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nutrition reviews 2023-03, Vol.81 (4), p.480-491
Main Authors: Davidson, Eliza M, Simpson, Julie A, Fowkes, Freya J I
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anemia - complications
Anemia - etiology
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - complications
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - epidemiology
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - prevention & control
Child
Female
Hemoglobins
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Iron
Iron Deficiencies
Pregnancy
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Abstract Iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy is a major public health problem known to cause maternal morbidity and adverse birth outcomes, and it may also have lasting consequences on infant development. However, the impact of the maternal hematological environment on fetal and infant hemoglobin and iron stores in the first year of life remains unclear. This review of the epidemiological evidence found that severe maternal iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy is associated with lower ferritin, and to a lesser degree hemoglobin levels, in infants at birth. Emerging data also suggests that severe anemia in pregnancy increases the risk of iron deficiency and anemia in infants 6–12 months of age, although longitudinal studies are limited. Effective anemia prevention in pregnancy, such as iron supplementation, could reduce the risk of infant anemia and iron deficiency during the first year of life; however, more evidence is needed to determine the functional impact of iron supplementation in pregnancy on infant hematological indices.
ISSN:0029-6643
1753-4887
DOI:10.1093/nutrit/nuac066