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CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal logoLink to CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal
. 1990 Oct 15;143(8):733–737.

Iron status of very-low-birth-weight infants during the first 15 months of infancy.

J K Friel 1, W L Andrews 1, J D Matthew 1, D R Long 1, A M Cornel 1, M Cox 1, C T Skinner 1
PMCID: PMC1452387  PMID: 2207936

Abstract

The adequacy of iron stores in infants of very low birth weight (defined as less than 1500 g) in Canada is unknown. We monitored the iron status of 81 such infants at 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 months of age. All of the infants were fed formula fortified with iron (13 mg/L) for at least 6 months, starting at 2 months of age. The plasma ferritin level decreased after the formula was no longer used. Although 90% of the infants were given cereal fortified with iron (30 mg of iron per 100 g) by 9 months of age, the plasma ferritin level continued to decrease. The level was less than 10 micrograms/L in 54% of the infants at 12 months of age and in 74% at 15 months; this indicated depleted iron stores. Because of delayed development very-low-birth-weight infants eat small amounts of cereal and therefore require iron-fortified formula throughout infancy.

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Selected References

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