Iron deficiency of liver, heart, and brain in newborn infants of diabetic mothers

Perinatal Iron Deficiency Decreases Cytochrome c Oxidase (CytOx) Activity in Selected Regions of Neonatal Rat Brain

“…The ID pups had lower liver iron concentrations compared with IS controls (59.5 Ϯ 4.0 versus 404.0 Ϯ 19.3, p Ͻ 0.001), which is in agreement with previous studies from our lab both in infants (8,35) and in rats (36). The mean litter sizes were equivalent between groups (ID: 9 pups/mother versus IS: 10 pups/mother).…”

“…Liver iron concentrations were assayed as previously described (8,31) and expressed as micrograms of elemental iron per gram dry tissue weight. Briefly, the tissues were thoroughly rinsed in normal saline and lyophilized for 72 h, after which dry weights were obtained.…”

“…Arguably, brain iron deficiency in the fetus or neonate could be more detrimental than postnatal iron deficiency because of the rapidity of brain growth during this critical developmental period (6). Diabetes mellitus and intrauterine growth retardation during pregnancy can result in up to a 40% reduction in neonatal brain iron concentration (7,8). In addition, infants of diabetic mothers and intrauterine growth-retarded infants demonstrate electrophysiologic indices of abnormal recognition memory processing as newborns and at 6 mo of age (9,10), and are at higher risk for poorer long-term neurocognitive outcomes (11,12).…”

Elevated zinc protoporphyrin/heme ratios in umbilical cord blood after diabetic pregnancy

“…21,23 Previous work found brain iron deficiency in offspring of women with diabetes. 2,5 Children of diabetic pregnancies may also experience disturbed cognitive development and recognition memory, consistent with a hippocampal insult. 6,[9][10][11][12]24 The fetal hippocampus is targeted by hypoxia-ischemia, impaired iron delivery and postnatal hypoglycemia, all of which accompany poorly controlled diabetes during pregnancy.…”

“…1,3,4 Iron is shunted into erythrocyte mass and away from developing organs and tissues. [2][3][4][5] Iron is an essential nutrient for normal perinatal growth and development. Although infants born to women with poorly controlled diabetes may experience impaired childhood intellectual development, 6 only recently has the role of brain iron deficiency been explored.…”