[Iron deficiency during the first year of age]
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 12, 2026
Quantitating Iron Transport Across the Mouse Placenta In Vivo Using Nonradioactive Iron Isotopes
Published on: May 10, 2022
Insights
Iron deficiency is common in infants as their iron stores deplete around 4-6 months. A proper weaning diet is crucial to prevent iron deficiency and potential developmental issues.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutrition Science
- Public Health
Context:
- Iron deficiency is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency in infants aged 4-6 months.
- Infants become reliant on dietary iron post-depletion of natal stores.
- Traditional weaning diets often lack sufficient iron and bioavailability.
Purpose:
- To review strategies for preventing iron deficiency in infants.
- To provide guidelines for infant weaning diets, emphasizing iron content.
- To identify high-risk infant populations for iron deficiency.
Summary:
- Iron stores deplete around 4-6 months, necessitating dietary iron intake.
- Low iron content and bioavailability in weaning foods pose a risk.
- Consequences range from pallor to impaired psychomotor development.
- High-risk groups include infants from deprived backgrounds or early/excessive cow's milk consumers.
Impact:
- Informing healthcare providers on infant iron needs and deficiency risks.
- Guiding parents on optimal weaning practices for iron sufficiency.
- Reducing the incidence of iron deficiency and its long-term health effects in infants.
Abstract:
Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in late infancy. In healthy term infants iron stores are depleted at the age of four to six months and the infant becomes increasingly dependent on exogenous sources of iron. Furthermore, the iron content and bioavailability in a traditional weaning diet are low. The consequences of iron deficiency in late infancy span from pallor to risk of impaired psychomotor development. Approaches to prevent iron deficiency and problems associated with these approaches are reviewed, and general guidelines for a weaning diet as well as guidelines with special emphasis on preventing iron deficiency are given. The present article identifies infants at high risk of developing iron deficiency including: immigrants, infants from a deprived background, infants to whom cows' milk is introduced early and/or given in large quantities, and infants from families with unusual eating habits. Finally, the commonly employed clinical practice for treating iron deficiency is mentioned.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Erythropoiesis
01:20Overview of Hematopoiesis
Developmental Phases of Hematopoiesis
Initially, HSCs are formed in the embryonic yolk sac, a critical site for early blood cell production. These stem cells subsequently migrate to other...
01:22Lifecycle of Erythrocytes
The resident phagocytic macrophages deal with these damaged cells by engulfing them and separating their globin and heme groups.
01:27Disorders of Erythrocytes
Erythrocyte disorders can be broadly categorized into two main types: anemic and polycythemic conditions.
A low oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood due to the loss, lower production, or destruction of erythrocytes is termed anemia. Hemorrhagic anemia, for example, occurs when bleeding from an external wound or internal ulcer reduces erythrocyte counts.
On the other...
01:22Development of Immunocompetence
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
01:24Factors Affecting Erythropoiesis
Several factors influence the erythrocyte production rate, with tissue oxygen level being among the most critical. Intense exercise or high altitudes can cause tissue hypoxia, which triggers the kidneys to release more erythropoietin (EPO) into the bloodstream.
EPO then...