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Maternal Iron Deficiency Anemia as a Risk Factor for the Development of Retinopathy of Prematurity
Alper I Dai1, Seniz Demiryürek2, Sefika Nur Aksoy3
1Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Gaziantep, Gaziantep, Turkey.
Insights
Maternal iron deficiency anemia is a significant risk factor for retinopathy of prematurity in premature infants. Supplementation during pregnancy may reduce the risk of this serious eye condition.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal ophthalmology
- Maternal-fetal medicine
- Pediatric vascular disease
Background:
- Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a critical vascular disorder impacting premature infants during ocular development.
- It poses a significant threat to vision in vulnerable newborns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate maternal iron deficiency anemia as a potential risk factor for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
- To assess the association between maternal iron status and ROP development in premature or very low birth weight infants.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 254 mothers of infants diagnosed with ROP.
- Review of maternal laboratory records during pregnancy for iron deficiency anemia indicators.
Main Results:
- 73.6% of mothers (187/254) exhibited iron deficiency.
- Infants born to mothers with iron deficiency anemia (low hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCV, serum iron, ferritin) showed a higher incidence of ROP.
Conclusions:
- This study identifies maternal iron deficiency as a novel risk factor for retinopathy of prematurity.
- Maternal iron supplementation during pregnancy may be a viable strategy to mitigate ROP risk.
Background:
Retinopathy of prematurity is a proliferative vascular disease affecting premature newborns and occurs during vessel development and maturation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the maternal iron deficiency anemia as possible risk factors associated with the development of retinopathy of prematurity among premature or very low birth weight infants.
Methods:
In this study, mothers of 254 infants with retinopathy of prematurity were analyzed retrospectively, and their laboratory results of medical records during pregnancy were reviewed for possible iron deficiency anemia.
Results:
In a cohort of 254 mothers of premature infants with retinopathy of prematurity, 187 (73.6%) had iron deficiency, while the remaining 67 (26.4%) mothers had no deficiency. Babies born to mothers with iron deficiency anemia with markedly decreased hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, serum iron, and ferritin levels were more likely to develop retinopathy of prematurity.
Conclusions:
Our results are the first to suggest that maternal iron deficiency is a risk factor for the development of retinopathy of prematurity. Our data suggest that maternal iron supplementation therapy during pregnancy might lower the risk of retinopathy of prematurity.
