Effect of maternal anaemia on status of iron stores in neonates and anthropometry

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect of maternal IDA on neonatal hemoglobin and iron stores and also to assess its correlation with neonatal anthropometric characteristics. Study Design: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at a tertiary care hospital for a period of 18 months. The study enrolled total 112 pregnant women who were diagnosed with IDA, and also included babies of enrolled women for correlation of neonatal iron status and anthropometric variables. Maternal prenatal blood samples, during the first stage of labour, and neonatal cord blood samples were collected for hemoglobin and serum ferritin analysis. Results: Mean age of enrolled pregnant women was 25.81 ± 4.67 years. Among all, 65.17% women had moderate to severe anemia. The mean hemoglobin and serum ferritin levels of pregnant women with IDA were 8.92 ± 1.46 g/dL and 12.63 ± 1.36 µg/L, respectively. The mean cord blood hemoglobin and serum ferritin levels were 15.24 ± 1.04 g/dL and 27.79 ± 4.37 µg/L, respectively. Only 15.18% neonates born from mother with IDA were anemic (Hb <14 g/dL).