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Iron and the exclusively breast-fed infant from birth to six months
Insights
Exclusively breast-fed infants are not at high risk for iron deficiency anemia or depleted iron stores by six months. Monitoring iron levels in breastfed infants is important for early detection.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutritional Science
- Hematology
Background:
- Iron deficiency anemia is a significant concern in infants.
- Exclusive breastfeeding is common, raising questions about infant iron status.
- Defining iron deficiency requires specific biochemical markers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the incidence of iron deficiency anemia in exclusively breast-fed infants up to six months of age.
- To assess iron store depletion using serum ferritin levels in this population.
- To determine if exclusive breastfeeding poses a risk for iron deficiency during early infancy.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study following 33 exclusively breast-fed infants from birth to six months.
- Analysis of maternal and cord blood at delivery.
- Infant venous blood sampling at two, four, and six months.
- Assessment of hemoglobin, red blood cell indices, and serum ferritin levels.
Main Results:
- Mean hemoglobin levels in infants were slightly above the normal range at six months.
- A small percentage of infants (12%) showed low mean corpuscular volume.
- A minority of infants (6%) exhibited low serum ferritin levels, indicating depleted iron stores.
Conclusions:
- Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months does not appear to place infants at high risk for iron deficiency anemia.
- The incidence of depleted iron stores was low in this cohort.
- Findings suggest current breastfeeding recommendations are safe regarding iron status in the first six months.
Abstract:
This study was designed to determine whether normal, full-term, exclusively breast-fed infants develop iron deficiency anemia, as defined by hemoglobin or red blood cell indices more than two standard deviations below the age-specific mean, or depletion of iron stores, as defined by an abnormally low serum ferritin level. Thirty-three breast-fed infants were followed from birth to 6 months. Maternal blood and cord blood at delivery, and venous blood from the infants at 2, 4, and 6 months were analyzed for anemia as defined above. At 6 months of age, the mean hemoglobin concentration of these infants was slightly higher than the normal mean; four of 33 infants (12%) had a mean corpuscular volume greater than 2 SD below the reported normal mean; and two of 33 infants (6%) had a serum ferritin level less than 12 ng protein/ml. These data suggest that the infant who is exclusively breast-fed for the first 6 months of life is not at high risk for the development of iron deficiency anemia or the depletion of iron stores during that time.