STUDY OF NEONATAL CORRELATES OF MATERNAL IRON STATUS IN FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE NGURU, NIGERIA

Abstract

Introduction
Iron deficiency anaemia is the most frequent nutritional deficiency anaemia in the world. In pregnancy it is associated with an increased risk of preterm delivery and low-birth-weight. Therefore, repeated conception and lactation are more likely to deplete iron stores resulting in iron deficiency of the foetus. Aim and Objectives: To determine the effects of maternal iron status on some neonatal parameters. Materials and Methods: Thiswas a cross-sectional, descriptive study conducted in Federal medical centre Nguru between December 2015 and February 2016 after institutional ethical approval. There were 88 mothers and 90 neonatesin this study. Complete blood count, ferritin levels, iron levels and TIBC of mother neonate pairs were determined. Data generated were analyzed using SPSS Version 20.0.
Results:The mean maternal age and neonatal gestational age were 26.72±6.12years and 37.65±2.96 weeks, respectively. The mean maternal haemoglobin, median serum ferritin, serum iron and TIBC were10.99±2.57g/dl, 21.05(46.85) ng/ml, 97 (52) µg/dl and 146 (21) µg/dl,respectively. The mean neonatal haemoglobin, median cord ferritin, cord iron and TIBC were15.48±2.74 g/dl, 164.90 (158.78)ng/ml, 73 (75.50) µg/dl, 122 (21) µg/dl, respectively. The percentage of anaemia in mothers and neonates were 25% and 21.1%, respectively. Although the correlation of maternal and neonatal ferritin level was weakly negative and not statistically significant(r = -0.037, p= 0.733) correlation of serum iron was weakly positive but not statistically significant (r=0.144, p=1.81).
Conclusion:The prevalence of anaemia was high in both mothers and neonates but the correlation between maternal and neonatal ferritin was negative.

STUDY OF NEONATAL CORRELATES OF MATERNAL IRON STATUS IN FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE NGURU, NIGERIA