[Relationship between maternal and neonatal iron stores].
OBJECTIVE
To establish the relationship of normal, low, and moderate blood iron values in mothers and their newborns.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 163 pregnant women and their newborns, users of Hospital de Ginecología y Obstetricia número 15, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, from Chihuahua, Mexico. The mothers' clinical histories were collected and analyzed; hemoglobin, hematocrit, and ferritin serum levels were measured in maternal and umbilical cord samples. Iron maternal stores were determined by ferritin (microgram/l) values as follows: low: < or = 11; moderate: 12-20; and normal: > or = 20.1. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to establish differences among group; the chi-squared test to determine differences of proportions; and Pearson's correlation coefficient for assessing the association between maternal and newborn iron stores.


RESULTS
A weak correlation between maternal and neonatal ferritin was found (r = 0.14, p = 0.07). Geometric means of neonatal ferritin for low, moderate, and normal maternal iron stores were 4.77, 4.85, and 5.02 respectively (p = 0.12). The maternal iron stores changed after iron supplementation (p = 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Iron stores in mothers and their newborns are closely related. Women who take iron supplements during pregnancy have significantly higher iron stores at the end of pregnancy.
Vásquez-Molina
M E
ME
Laboratorio de Análisis Clínicos de la Unidad de Medicina Familiar 44 del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Avenida Tecnológico y C. Pino S/N colonia Granjas Chihuahua, 31160 Chihuahua, México. eugenia@megalink.net.mx
Corral-Terrazas
M
M
Apezteguia
M A
MA
Carmona-Sawasky
J
J
Levario-Carrillo
M
M
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy
D007501:Iron
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