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Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Quantitating Iron Transport Across the Mouse Placenta In Vivo Using Nonradioactive Iron Isotopes
08:45

Quantitating Iron Transport Across the Mouse Placenta In Vivo Using Nonradioactive Iron Isotopes

Published on: May 10, 2022

[Iron prophylaxis in normal infants? (author's transl)]

K Betke

    Padiatrie Und Padologie
    |January 1, 1981
    PubMed

    Insights

    Routine iron prophylaxis for full-term infants is not clinically justified. Mild iron deficiency may actually enhance infant resistance to infections during early development.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatrics
    • Neonatology
    • Immunology

    Background:

    • Increasing trend of administering general iron prophylaxis to both premature and full-term infants.
    • Laboratory parameters support iron supplementation in full-term infants.
    • Clinical evidence for routine iron prophylaxis in full-term infants remains insufficient.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To evaluate the clinical justification of routine iron prophylaxis in full-term infants.
    • To explore the potential benefits of mild hyposideraemia (low iron levels) in early childhood.

    Main Methods:

    • Review of current practices and clinical evidence regarding iron prophylaxis in infants.
    • Analysis of the immunological implications of iron status in the first year of life.

    Main Results:

    • Clinical grounds do not support routine iron prophylaxis for full-term infants.
    • A mild degree of hyposideraemia may be beneficial in the second half of the first year of life.

    Conclusions:

    • Routine iron supplementation for full-term infants lacks strong clinical justification.
    • Transient hyposideraemia could confer advantageous non-specific resistance against common childhood infections.
    • Further research is needed to understand the precise role of iron levels in infant immunity.

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