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Plasma ferritin in the assessment of iron status of Indian infants
L Raman1, A B Pawashe, G Vasanthi
1National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad.
Insights
Maternal iron status significantly impacts infant iron levels. Prenatal iron supplementation, especially parenteral, improves infant iron status, reducing deficiency risk up to 6 months.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Maternal-Infant Health
- Hematology
Background:
- Infant iron deficiency is a global health concern.
- Socioeconomic factors can influence infant nutritional status.
- Maternal health during pregnancy is crucial for infant development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the iron nutritional status of infants up to two years.
- To compare iron status between different socioeconomic groups.
- To assess the impact of maternal iron status and prenatal supplementation on infant iron levels.
Main Methods:
- Plasma ferritin levels were measured in infants and mothers at various time points.
- Infants were categorized by socioeconomic group.
- The study compared outcomes based on prenatal iron supplementation (oral, parenteral, or placebo).
Main Results:
- Infants from higher socioeconomic groups had higher ferritin levels at 3-4 months.
- A strong correlation (p < 0.001) was observed between maternal and infant ferritin levels at 1-3 months.
- Prenatal iron supplementation led to higher infant ferritin levels; parenteral iron prevented deficiency, while oral iron and placebo groups showed deficiency rates of 23.5% and 25.0% respectively between 6-12 months.
Conclusions:
- Improving maternal iron status during pregnancy significantly benefits the iron status of breastfed infants up to six months.
- Parenteral iron supplementation during pregnancy offers superior protection against infant iron deficiency compared to oral iron or placebo.
- Early iron status assessment in infants and mothers is vital for targeted nutritional interventions.
Abstract:
In order to assess the iron nutritional status of infants, plasma ferritin levels were measured in the infants and children at different time intervals till two years of age from two different socio economic groups. While ferritin levels at 3-4 months age were significantly higher in upper income group infants, levels were almost similar in the subsequent infancy between the two income groups. A close correlation was seen between ferritin levels of mothers and infants at 1-3 months of age (p less than 0.001). Prenatal iron supplements (oral or parenteral) resulted in higher ferritin levels at 4-6 months age as compared to placebo group. While the infants born to mothers receiving parenteral iron did not show any evidence of iron deficiency (serum ferritin levels less than 12 ng/ml), 23.5 and 25.0% of infants in oral iron and placebo group had evidence of iron deficiency between 6-12 months. Thus it would appear that improving the iron status of mothers during pregnancy will have significant impact on the iron status of breast fed infants till 6 months.