PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF ASSESSMENT OF BODY IRON STORES IN EXCLUSIVELY BREAST-FED INFANTS DURING FIRST SIX MONTHS OF LIFE.

Corresponding Author:
Dr. Nirbhay Mehta,
Department of Paediatrics,
MGM Medical College,
Indore,
Madhya Pradesh, India.
E-mail: drnirbhaymehta@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND

Intrauterine iron accretion and breast milk are the only sources of iron for full term exclusively breast-fed babies. As the accreted iron stores start depleting, breastfed infants might particularly be at risk of iron deficiency in first few months of life. The objective of the study was to assess the changes in the body iron stores of these exclusively breast-fed infants during their first six months.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A prospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital over a period of 1 year. One hundred term healthy babies were enrolled and followed up for first 6 months at pre-decided fixed intervals for their iron status by measuring their haematological parameters (Haemoglobin, Mean Corpuscular Volume and Serum Ferritin). Changes in haematological parameters were measured using paired ’t’ test.

RESULTS

Of the 100 healthy babies, 52 were evaluated at 4 months and 35 children at 6 months of age because of exclusion from the study due to various reasons. Significant decrease in mean haemoglobin was observed between age group of 2-4 months and 4-6 months. Mean serum ferritin significantly reduced at 6 months in comparison to 2 months and 4 months of age (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Full term exclusively breast-fed babies with normal birth weight were found to have significant decrease in haemoglobin and serum ferritin in the first 6 months of life.

KEY WORDS

Exclusively Breastfed Infants, Change in Serum Ferritin Level, Body Iron Stores, Mean Corpuscular Volume in Infants