Maternal Iron Deficiency and/or Iron Deficiency Anemia to Neonatal Hemoglobin Concentration and Iron Stores

Iron deficiency is a common micronutrient deficiency in pregnant women specially in developing countries as increasing demands on maternal iron stores as consequences of expansion of maternal red blood cell mass and the requirement of the developing fetus.

The relationship between maternal iron stores and fetal iron extraction has received considerable attention as iron deficiency places neonates at high risks for cognitive, motor, social-emotional, and neurodevelopmental problem. moreover, requirement of iron is high for rapid growth and differentiation of the fetus and thus a well-balanced iron hemostasis is required. This balance can be threatened in neonates born to iron compromised mothers.

Some studies have suggested that the fetus reflects maternal iron stores, but this concept is still being debated as few other studies show contrasting results, majority of studies have been done in developed countries. To draw the consensus regarding the result, more studies needed to clarify the effect of maternal iron status on fetal stores are required. Proper understanding of the relationship between maternal and neonatal iron indices will help in formulating protocols that is required to improve the maternal and neonatal outcomes, so investigating the effect maternal iron on fetal iron indices can be of great value, so that early intervention to prevent or reverse the adverse effect of iron deficiency on development issues much before iron deficiency becomes sever can be instituted.

Inclusion criteria

• All pregnant women and their infant pairs who have given consent to participate.
• Mothers Age: 21-40 years' old.
• Term infants (37-42 weeks of gestation) with birth weight ≥2500 g born to mothers who had an uncomplicated normal singleton vaginal delivery or caesarian section delivery was included.

Exclusion criteria

• Mothers with a history of antepartum hemorrhage, pre-mature labor pain, high-risk pregnancy (eg. history of trauma and severe infection during pregnancy), severe hyperemesis, pre-eclampsia severe anemia requiring blood transfusion, and any chronic medical illnesses as: gestational diabetes, hypertension, hypothyroidism, epilepsy, liver disease, renal disease cardiorespiratory disease, immunodeficiency syndrome, and hematological (other causes of anemia)
• infants who suspected with congenital and/or chromosomal anomalies and pathological jaundice, also multiple pregnancy was excluded from the study.
• Mothers withdrew from given a written consent will be excluded from the study.