Can iron be teratogenic?
Several kinds of evidence indicate that elevated iron during the 3-8 week embryonic (organogenesis) period of human gestation may be teratogenic. (1) In the embryonic period, the natural maternal absorption of food iron is 30% below the estimated daily iron loss. (2) As compared with maternal serum, embryonic fetal coelomic fluid contains only one-fourth as much iron but nearly six times the quantity of the iron withholding protein, ferritin. (3) In the embryonic period, intraplacental oxygen pressure is 2-3 times lower than in the subsequent fetal growth period. (4) Iron is a strong inducer of emesis which peaks in the embryonic period. (5) In a murine gestation model, iron was neurotoxic at a sharp peak of 8-9 days. Thus it would be prudent, in human pregnancy, to delay any needed iron supplementation until the embryonic period has been completed.
Weinberg
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Department of Biology & Program in Medical Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA. eweinber@Indiana.edu
D000818:Animals; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000502:physiology; D007501:Iron / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D011247:Pregnancy; D013723:Teratogens / Q000494:pharmacology*
D013723:Teratogens; D007501:Iron