The influences of factors associated with decreased iron supply to the fetus during pregnancy on iron status in healthy children aged 0.5 to 3 years

Objective: To investigate whether maternal anemia, pregnancy-induced diabetes, hypertension and smoking contributed to the recently found high prevalence of iron deficiency in a population of otherwise healthy children. Study design: Iron status was assessed in 400 children aged 0.5 to 3 years. We obtained information on the mothers’ laboratory results, the presence of diabetes and hypertension, smoking habits and use of medication while pregnant. Result: We found no influence of maternal anemia, diabetes, hypertension or smoking during pregnancy on iron status in the children. Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) values of the children were positively correlated to maternal MCV values. Conclusion: In this population, iron status in children is not affected by maternal anemia or maternal factors that are associated with a decreased iron transport during pregnancy. The correlation between MCV values in mothers and their children might be explained by genetic and/or shared environmental factors.