Iron May Benefit Low Birth Weight Infants

by | Jan 4, 2013 | 2012, Infant and Children's Health, Iron

Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Iron supplementation of low birth weight babies had a significant benefit on behavioral problems. 

The latest estimates by UNICEF state 1 in 7 children born worldwide are of low birth weight (1), defined as weighing less than 1,500 grams (3.3 lbs.) at birth (2) and putting them at substantial risk for cognitive and behavioral problems later in life (3). Even newborns classified as “marginally” low birth weight (2,000-2,500 grams-.4.4 to 5.5 lbs.) have increased developmental risks. And with 3-5% of all newborns in developed countries and 10-15% in low-income countries known to be marginally low birth weight (4), this now puts nearly 1 in 5 newborns worldwide as having increased risks of behavioral and developmental problems later in life.

Now a new study (5) suggests that iron may help with low infant weight. In the study, 224 marginally low birth weight infants received either 0, 1, or 2 milligrams per kilogram of bodyweight per day of iron supplements, given between 6 weeks to 6 months of age up until 3.5 years of age. Parents kept track of their child’s diet with 3-day food records (6) that were checked at 6, 12, and 19 weeks, 6 months, and 3.5 years. At 3.5 years of age, the 224 infants underwent an intelligence test called the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence Test to measure infant IQ (7), a behavioral test called the Child Behavior Checklist (8). The results were compared with 95 normal birth weight control infants.

At 3.5 years of age, no significant IQ differences were found between the placebo group (105.2), 1 mg/kg/day group (104.2), and 2 mg/kg/day group (104.5) (p = .924). For behavioral problems, however, there was a significant effect of iron supplementation. Specifically, 12.7% of the placebo group were classified as having behavioral problems compared to 2.9% in the 1 mg/kg/day group, 2.7% of the 2 mg/kg/day group, and 3.2% in the normal birth weight control group (p = 0.027).

Citing previous research showing iron to be essential for several aspects of nerve structural health as well as for the function of nerve chemicals called neurotransmitters (9), the researchers concluded that “Early iron supplementation of marginally low birth weight infants does not affect cognitive functions at 3.5 years of age but significantly reduces the prevalence of behavioral problems.”

Source: Berglund, Staffan K., et al. “Effects of iron supplementation of LBW infants on cognition and behavior at 3 years.” Pediatrics 131.1 (2013): 47-55.

© 2013 by American Academy of Pediatrics

Posted January 4, 2013.

Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY.  You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com

References:

  1. The state of the world’s children 2009: maternal and newborn health. UNICEF: 2009.
  2. McCormick MC. The contribution of low birth weight to infant mortality and childhood morbidity. N Engl J Med. 1985;312(2): 82–90.
  3. Bhutta AT, Cleves MA, Casey PH, Cradock MM, Anand KJ. Cognitive and behavioral outcomes of school-aged children who were born preterm: a meta-analysis. JAMA 2002;288(6):728–737.
  4. Martin JA, Hamilton BE, Sutton PD, et al. Births: final data for 2005. Natl Vital Stat Report. 2007;56(6):1–103.
  5. Berglund SK.  Effects of Iron Supplementation of LBW Infants on Cognition and Behavior at 3 Years.  Pediatrics 2012 Dec 10. [Epub ahead of print].
  6. Berglund S, Westrup B, Domellöf M. Iron supplements reduce the risk of iron deficiency anemia in marginally low birth weight infants. Pediatrics. 2010;126(4).
  7. Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, 3rd. ed. (WPPSI-III).   David Wechsler, The Psychological Corporation, 2002.
  8. Child Behavior Checklist can be obtained from the website for Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research.
  9. Lozoff B, Georgieff MK. Iron deficiency and brain development. Semin Pediatr Neurol 2006;13(3):158–165.