Nutrition of feeding mothers and its impact on the development of iron deficiencies in infants during the first 6 months of life
Objective. Analysis of the impact of maternal nutrition on the development of iron deficiency in 6-month-old infants. Patients and methods. The first stage was a prospective study of risk factors and possibilities of diagnosing iron deficiency (ID) in first year infants. The second stage comprised an analysis of interrelationships between nutrition of breastfeeding women and iron deficiencies in their infants at 6 months of age, including laboratory diagnosis of ID. Maternal dietary intake was assessed by the food frequency and 24-hour recall methods. Results. During pregnancy, 10.2% of women adhered to a low-calorie diet, 11.2% followed a hypoallergenic diet. Assessment of a 6 month diet did not show differences in nutritional values and average iron intake by breastfeeding women in the group with ID and among healthy infants. A high prevalence of ID was found in women 6 months after childbirth - 54.6%, iron deficiency anaemia occurred in 4.6% of cases. No risk of developing iron deficiency was noted in 50.0% of women in the group with ID in infants and in 43.3% in the group without ID. In the group with ID in infants, a low risk of developing deficiency was found in 13.3%, moderate -in 23.3%, a high risk - in 13.3%. In the group without ID in infants, these figures were 6.7, 46.7 and 3.3 respectively. Conclusion. Дефицит Iron deficiency develops in half of women 6 months after childbirth, which has no effect on the development of ID in a baby. The development of ID in infants during the first half of life is associated with both early beginning of formula feeding, and exclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months of age. It is necessary to include iron-fortified supplementary foods in diets of such infants.