Iron Levels and Associated Factors Among Preterm Delivered Infants Attending Five Health Facilities in Mwanza City, Tanzania
- Mwanza, Tanzania: Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences [CUHAS - Bugando] : 2018
- xi; 59 Pages Includes References and Appendices
Abstract:
Background: It is estimated that, in Tanzania 11% of babies are born prematurely each year. Preterm delivered infants are more prone to iron deficiency and therefore iron deficiency anemia due to the fact that most of mother to child iron transfer occurs in the third trimester.
Aim and rationale: This study aimed at determining the prevalence of low body iron levels and factors associated with iron deficiency anemia among preterm delivered infants attending five health facilities in Mwanza city, Tanzania. Results obtained are helpful in proper management of preterm infants so as to improve their body iron levels for better growth and development.
Methods: This was a hospital based cross sectional study, conducted in five health facilities in Mwanza city. Three hundred and fifty infants aged 6 to 30 weeks were included in the study. Social - demographic data and other information were obtained by using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. To determine body iron level, blood was collected to measure serum ferritin, full blood picture (hemoglobin level and mean corpuscular volume) and C reactive protein.
Results and conclusion: It was revealed that; in every 100 infants, 20 had low iron levels, 1 had latent iron deficiency, 3 had iron deficiency and 9 had iron deficiency anemia. In addition, increase in infant’s age and complementary feeding with cow’s milk were significantly associated with iron deficiency anemia. Furthermore, using hemoglobin level and mean corpuscular volume in combination is not a good alternative of serum ferritin in diagnosing low iron. Not only that but also the median serum ferritin was found to be low, 44.4 [15.7 - 102] µg/l.
Recommendations: Food fortification with iron and iron supplementation among preterm delivered infants are needed to prevent iron deficiency among these infants. Further studies to determine why older preterm delivered infants are more prone to iron deficiency anemia including type of food they eat are needed. Hemoglobin level and mean corpuscular volume can be used to rule out those without low iron but not to diagnose those with low iron level.
= OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS Ferritin Protein that stores iron in the body. In this study will be considered as body iron. OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS Iron deficiency Low ferritin level with low hemoglobin and normal MCV. OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS Iron deficiency anemia Low ferritin levels with low hemoglobin and low MCV. OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS Iron levels Amount of iron in the body. OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS Latent iron deficient (iron depletion) Low ferritin level with normal Hb and normal MCV. OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS Low ferritin level Ferritin level of less than 12 mcg/l when CRP is less than 10 mg/l or ferritin level of less than 30 mcg/l when CRP is OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS Low ferritin level Ferritin level of less than 12 mcg/l when CRP is less than 10 mg/l or ferritin level of less than 30 mcg/l when CRP is greater than 10 mg/l OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS Low hemoglobin level Is hemoglobin of less than 10.5g/dl OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS Low mean corpuscular volume Is an MCV of less than 72fl OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS Non-sick infants Are infants without any health complains with stable vital signs who attend pediatrics clinic for their growth and development monitoring. OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS Normal ferritin level Ferritin level ≥ 12mcg/l when CRP is less than 10 mg/l and ≥ 30 mcg/l when CRP is greater than 10 mg/l. OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS Normal hemoglobin level Is hemoglobin of 10.5-14g/dl. OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS Preterm delivered infants Infants born before 37 completed weeks of gestation age.
= ABBREVIATIONS BMC Bugando Medical Center CRP C reactive Protein CUHAS Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences Dl Deciliter FBP Full Blood Picture Fl Femtoliter FTf Fetal transferrin Hb Hemoglobin Mcg Microgram MCV Mean Corpuscular Volume MTf Maternal Transferrin RBC Red Blood Cell RCH Reproductive and Child’s Health Clinic Tf Transferrin WHO World Health Organization
Wurzburg Road 35, BMC Premises, Post Code: 33102: P. O Box 1464, Mwanza – Tanzania: Phone: +255 28 298 3384: Fax: +255 28 298 3386: Email: vc@bugando.ac.tz : www.bugando.ac.tz