Ethnic differences in age-related changes of postpartum hemoglobin levels.
OBJECTIVE
Postpartum hemoglobin (Hb) levels may impact maternal and breast-fed newborn well being and health. Yet, the sources of variation in maternal postpartum Hb levels are poorly understood. We set to investigate whether age has an effect on postpartum Hb levels, and if this effect is similar in different ethnic groups.


METHODS
The birth records of over 200,000 births in a tertiary medical center were scanned for the first and second births to Jewish and Bedouin mothers in Israel. Age trends in Hb levels were analyzed using linear and bi-linear models. Confounding factors were eliminated by testing the significance of the preferred model in homogenous sub-populations.


RESULTS
In Jewish Israeli mothers, postpartum hemoglobin level follow a bi-linear trend, peaking at the age of 27-31 years, both during the first and second births. In Israeli Bedouin mothers, a linear decline is observed through all ages.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest an ethnic difference in the age trends of postpartum Hb levels. Clinically, significant changes may occur between the ages of 27 and 30 years.
Rubin
Eitan
E
Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel. erubin@bgu.ac.il
Gordon
Michal
M
Sergienko
Ruslan
R
Ragolsky
Micha
M
Lunenfeld
Eitan
E
Sheiner
Eyal
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018912:Arabs; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000208:ethnology; D007585:Jews; D008423:Maternal Age; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000097:blood* / Q000208:ethnology*; D055815:Young Adult
D006454:Hemoglobins