Effect of maternal anaemia and iron depletion on foetal iron stores, birthweight and gestation.

India is considered to have the highest prevalence of nutritional anaemia in women. Between 6040% of pregnant women have been found to be anaemic, mainly due to iron deficiency (1). There are also reports on the development of iron deficiency anaemia in Indian infants already at 6 months of age (2). In view of this, it was considered pertinent to study the effect not only of anaemia but also of iron depletion in the mother on fetal iron stores. The influence of these factors on birth weight and gestation was also determined.