The relationship of maternal hemoglobin levels with infant apgar score, body measurements and denver development test at one year old

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the effects of maternal hemoglobin levels on neuromotor and physical development during the newborn and infantile period by comparing the infant APGAR score, Denver II development test, birth weight and body measurements at one year old. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty seven infants born and followed-up with regularly by healthy child examinations at Afyon Kocatepe University Pediatry Clinic and their mothers were included in this study. The patient files of all infants were reviewed retrospectively. Gestational week birth weight, APGAR score, weight, length, circumference of head measurements and the results of Denver II development test at one year old were recorded from follow-up files of healthy child. RESULTS: The rate of anemic mother was 26.3%, while the rate of nonanemics was 73.6%. Anemic mothers were classified as Group I and nonanemic mothers as Group II. Small gestational age birth was not found in anemic mothers, while this rate was 4.8% in non-anemic mothers. Mean APGAR scores were 9.4±1.45 and 9.6±0.61 in babies of anemic and non-anemic mothers, respectively. The values of mean birth weights were 2955±584 gr and 3163±506 gr in babies of anemic and non-anemic mothers, respectively. Mean weight at one year old was 8130±2032 gr and 8576±580 gr; mean length was 71.8±1.59 cm and 71.5±1.97 cm; mean head circumference was 46.02±0.72 cm and 45.8±1.05 cm in babies of anemic and non-anemic mothers, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between groups (p<0.05). Mean hemoglobin and ferritin levels in babies of anemic and non-anemic mothers at 6 months age were 10.5±1.12 gr/dl, 11.04±1.04 gr/dl and 68.3±45.3 ng/ml, 51.8±31.9 ng/ml, respectively. The hemoglobin levels in anemic group was lower than non-anemic group (p<0.05), but ferritin levels were not significantly different between groups (p>0.05). While the percentages of abnormal and suspected Denver II development test scores in babies of anemic mothers at 1 year age were 0% and 26.7% respectively, these rates were 4.8% and 21% in babies of nonanemic mothers, respectively. No statistically significant difference was found between groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The anemia in mothers seems to affect iron levels in babies, but its effects on neuromotor and physical development should be evaluated in further studies with larger population and more follow-up duration.