Maternal hemoglobin and iron status in early pregnancy and childhood cardiac outcomes

Background & aims

Dysregulation of iron homeostasis is associated with cardiac alterations in a sex-dependent manner in adults. It is unknown whether iron status during pregnancy has long-term impact on cardiovascular health, and if this association is influenced by sex. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate sex-specific association between maternal iron status during early pregnancy and cardiac outcomes in children aged 10 years.

Methods

In a population-based cohort study among 1972 mother–child pairs, hemoglobin and ferritin were measured in early pregnancy (<18 weeks) and categorized into anemia (hemoglobin<11 g/dL), elevated hemoglobin (hemoglobin≥13.2 g/dL), iron deficiency (ferritin<15 μg/L), and iron overload (ferritin>150 μg/L). At 10 years of age, cardiac MRI was performed to measure right and left cardiac outcomes of function (ventricular end-diastolic volume (RVEDV and LVEDV) and ejection fraction (RVEF and LVEF)), and structure (left ventricular mass (LVM), and left ventricular mass-to-volume ratio (LMVR)). Results are presented for boys and girls separately and models were adjusted for confounders and multiple testing.

Results

In boys, one standard deviation score (SDS) increase in maternal hemoglobin was associated with lower RVEDV and LVEDV (difference (95%CI) −0.10 (−0.17, −0.03) SDS and −0.09 (−0.16, −0.03) SDS, respectively). In boys, maternal anemia, as compared to normal hemoglobin levels, was associated with higher LVEDV (difference 0.34 (0.10, 0.59) SDS).

No associations were observed for other cardiac outcomes and for ferritin in boys. No associations were observed in girls.

Conclusion

In boys, dysregulated iron status during early pregnancy might permanently alter cardiovascular RVEDV and LVEDV function. Underlying mechanisms need further study.