In anaemic groups supplementation improved intelligence quotient ( IQ ) by 2.5 points ( 95 % CI 1.24 to 3.76 ) , but had no effect on non-anaemic participants , or on memory , psychomotor skills or scholastic achievement .
Background In observational studies anaemia and iron deficiency are associated with cognitive deficits , suggesting that iron supplementation may improve cognitive function .
However , due to the potential for confounding by socio-economic status in observational studies , this needs to be verified in data from r and omised controlled trials ( RCTs ) .
Aim To assess whether iron supplementation improved cognitive domains : concentration , intelligence , memory , psychomotor skills and scholastic achievement .
Mother-infant interactions and infant development are altered by maternal iron deficiency anemia.
The aim of this study was to determine whether iron deficiency anemia ( IDA ) in young South African mothers alters mother-infant interactions and the infant 's development . The study was a prospect i ve , r and omized , controlled intervention trial with 3 groups of mothers : nonanemic controls and anemic mothers administered either placebo ( 25 mg ascorbic acid and 10 microg folate ) or daily iron treatment ( 125 mg FeSO(4 ) plus ascorbate and folate ) . Mothers of full-term , normal birth weight infants ( n = 81 ) were followed from 10 wk to 9 mo postpartum . Maternal iron status , socioeconomic level , mother-infant interaction [ Parent/Caregiver Involvement Scale ( PCIS scale ) ] , and infant development ( Griffiths scale ) were assessed . At baseline , anemic mothers tended ( P < 0.10 ) to be less responsive to , and more controlling of , their infants . Infants of anemic mothers were developmentally delayed at 10 wk in h and -eye movement and overall quotient . Despite normalization of maternal iron status with supplementation in some mothers , the developmental delays were not diminished at 9 mo . At 9 mo , anemic mothers were significantly more " negative " towards their babies , engaged less in goal setting , and were less " responsive " than control mothers . In contrast , the behavior of anemic mothers given iron treatment toward their children was similar to that of the control mothers on all 11 scales of the PCIS . In conclusion , IDA altered mother-child interactions at both 10 wk and 9 mo postpartum . Additionally , infants whose mothers were anemic in the early postpartum scored worse on developmental tests at 10 wk and 9 mo of age
In anaemic groups supplementation improved intelligence quotient ( IQ ) by 2.5 points ( 95 % CI 1.24 to 3.76 ) , but had no effect on non-anaemic participants , or on memory , psychomotor skills or scholastic achievement .
Background In observational studies anaemia and iron deficiency are associated with cognitive deficits , suggesting that iron supplementation may improve cognitive function .
However , due to the potential for confounding by socio-economic status in observational studies , this needs to be verified in data from r and omised controlled trials ( RCTs ) .
Aim To assess whether iron supplementation improved cognitive domains : concentration , intelligence , memory , psychomotor skills and scholastic achievement .