Iron deficiency during pregnancy is associated with a reduced risk of adverse birth outcomes in a malaria-endemic area in a longitudinal cohort study

FJI Fowkes; KA Moore; DH Opi; JA Simpson; F Langham; DI Stanisic; A Ura; CL King; PM Siba; I Mueller; SJ Rogerson; JG Beeson

Journal article

Iron deficiency during pregnancy is associated with a reduced risk of adverse birth outcomes in a malaria-endemic area in a longitudinal cohort study

FJI Fowkes, KA Moore, DH Opi, JA Simpson, F Langham, DI Stanisic, A Ura, CL King, PM Siba, I Mueller, SJ Rogerson, JG Beeson

BMC Medicine | BMC | Published : 2018

DOI: 10.1186/s12916-018-1146-z

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Abstract

Background: Low birth weight (LBW) and preterm birth (PTB) are major contributors to infant mortality and chronic childhood morbidity. Understanding factors that contribute to or protect against these adverse birth outcomes is an important global health priority. Anaemia and iron deficiency are common in malaria-endemic regions, but there are concerns regarding the value of iron supplementation among pregnant women in malaria-endemic areas due to reports that iron supplementation may increase the risk of malaria. There is a lack of evidence on the impact of iron deficiency on pregnancy outcomes in malaria-endemic regions. Methods: We determined iron deficiency in a cohort of 279 pregnant wom..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Freya Fowkes Author

Kerryn A Moore Author

Julie Simpson Author

Ivo Mueller Author

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Grants

Awarded by Australian Research Council

Funding Acknowledgements

Funding was provided by the Australian Research Council (future fellowship to FJIF), the National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia (program grant and senior research fellowship to JGB and JAS). The Burnet Institute is supported by the Independent Research Institutes Infrastructure Support Scheme of the National Health and Medical Research Council and a Victoria State Government Operational Infrastructure Support grant. Funding bodies had no role in the design of the study, the collection, analysis and interpretation of the data or in writing the manuscript.