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Updated: Oct 2, 2026

Quantitating Iron Transport Across the Mouse Placenta In Vivo Using Nonradioactive Iron Isotopes
Published on: May 10, 2022
Maternal and cord blood ferritin
The levels of plasma iron, transferrin saturation and ferritin in cord blood of 64 newborns were found to be elevated relative to the corresponding maternal blood. There was no correlation between the levels of plasma iron, transferrin saturation or ferritin in cord and maternal blood. No correlation was found in cord blood between the hemoglobin levels or red cell indices (MCV, MCH and MCHC) with the levels of ferritin. These results suggest that there is an active process of transfer for iron from mother to the fetus, and this transport is independent of fetal erythropoiesis.
The levels of plasma iron, transferrin saturation and ferritin in cord blood of 64 newborns were found to be elevated relative to the corresponding maternal blood. There was no correlation between the levels of plasma iron, transferrin saturation or ferritin in cord and maternal blood. No correlation was found in cord blood between the hemoglobin levels or red cell indices (MCV, MCH and MCHC) with the levels of ferritin. These results suggest that there is an active process of transfer for iron from mother to the fetus, and this transport is independent of fetal erythropoiesis.
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