Plasma ferritin in the assessment of iron status of Indian infants.

ABSTRACT

In order to assess the iron nutritional status of infants, plasma ferritin levels were measured in the infants and children at different time intervals till two years of age from two different socio economic groups. While ferritin levels at 3-4 months age were significantly higher in upper income group infants, levels were almost similar in the subsequent infancy between the two income groups. A close correlation was seen between ferritin levels of mothers and infants at 1-3 months of age (p less than 0.001). Prenatal iron supplements (oral or parenteral) resulted in higher ferritin levels at 4-6 months age as compared to placebo group. While the infants born to mothers receiving parenteral iron did not show any evidence of iron deficiency (serum ferritin levels less than 12 ng/ml), 23.5 and 25.0% of infants in oral iron and placebo group had evidence of iron deficiency between 6-12 months. Thus it would appear that improving the iron status of mothers during pregnancy will have significant impact on the iron status of breast fed infants till 6 months.