The Effect of Severe Maternal Iron Deficiency Anemia on Neonatal Outcome

Abstract

Iron deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia among pregnant women, especially in developing countries. Indeed, a majority of women in the reproductive age group in the developing countries are anemic even before conception, pregnancy only tends to intensify it further. The main source of iron for hemoglobin formation in the first few months of infant’s life is derived from fetal iron storage at birth, originally supplied by the mother. It is not known to what extent, during normal pregnancy, the iron status of mothers could affect the amount of iron transferred to the fetus. Maternal iron storage is reported to be positively correlated to fetal hemoglobin. Theaimof thisstudy was to evaluatethe effect of severe maternal iron deficiency anemiaon neonatal hemoglobin )through sampling of cord blood( and fetal outcome (apgar score,neonatal weight and neonatal asphyxia). The included mothers and their newborns were classified into 2 groups according to maternal hemoglobin level; Group A:This group consists of 60 pregnant women with severe iron deficiency anemia hemoglobin level less than 7g/dl. Group B: This group consists of60pregnant women withhemoglobin level11 g/dl or more.