Background.Iron deficiency is the most prevalent nutritional disorder worldwide, especially in developing countries. Pregnant women and infants are especiallyat high risk because of their increased iron requirements. Iron deficiency inpregnant women has been shown to cause intrauterine growth retardation, increase the risk of premature delivery and low birth weight.
Aim: This work studied the effect of iron supplementation to pregnant womenduring the third trimester on the birth outcome, the iron stores of their infantsand whether feeding practices can influence iron stores of these infants andhemoglobin level of their mothers in the first six weeks of life.
Methods: This study included sixty pregnant women with normal hemoglobin orwith mild anemia (Hb 10-11 gm/dl).Their full term babies were classifiedinto: group (I) babies of iron supplemented mothers, group (II) babies ofmothers with no iron supplementation mothers. Each group was furthersubdivided according to feeding practice into: group (IA) babiesexclusively breastfed (15), group (IB) babies not exclusively breastfed (15),group (IIA) babies exclusively breastfed (15), and group (IIB) babies notexclusively breastfed (15).All pregnant women in this study were supported during follow-up visits withnutrition education, subgroup of these mothers received information about howexclusively breastfeed their infants at birth. Blood samples were collectedfrom mothers at 3rd trimester, birth and 6th week postpartum to measure Hb level.After birth the infants of these mothers were assessed biweekly throughgrowth assessment (weight, length and head circumference), breastfeedingassessment and laboratory investigations (Hb, Ht, MCH, MCV and MCHC).Bloodsamples were collected from infants at 6th week to measure serum ferritin level.