Erythrocyte ferritin in human neonates: maternofetal iron kinetics revisited

Abstract

Serum and erythrocyte ferritin concentrations were measured in 369 healthy term neonates and their mothers, with a view to understanding maternofetal iron kinetics. Erythrocyte ferritin concentrations in the neonates were on average 100 times higher than maternal values, while those of serum ferritin were about 10 times higher. Maternal and fetal iron status were correlated in the overall study population. Serum and erythrocyte ferritin values were also correlated with each other in both the mothers and neonates. To study the influence of iron status on these conditions, we formed three groups of mother-child pairs of equal size, based on maternal iron status (serum ferritin). The correlations found in the overall population were not always present in each subgroup. In the infants born to mothers with adequate tissue iron reserves (serum ferritin > 12 micrograms/I), a statistical link was found between serum and erythrocyte ferritin levels. When the mothers had optimal iron status (serum ferritin > or = 22 micrograms/I), there was a correlation between the neonatal and maternal erythrocyte ferritin levels. No such links were found when the mothers had low tissue iron stores (serum ferritin < 12 mg/I). These data point to special iron kinetics during fetal life and the influence of maternal iron status.