All issues > Volume 38(11); 1995

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1995;38(11):1453-1459. Published online November 15, 1995.

The Correlation between the Duration of Breast Feeding and Iron Deficiency Anemia(IDA)

Yee Ja YJ Kang¹, Ha Sin HS Park¹, Hae Jin HJ Choeh¹, Kyuchul Kc Choeh¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Eulji General Hospital, Taejon, Korea

Abstract

Purpose
: Iron deficiency anemia(IDA) is the most common nutritional deficiency. in young infants. This study was designed to determine a correlation between the duration of breast feeding and the severity of IDA, and to determine the recommending start point of iron fortified diet.
Methods
: The correlation between duration of breast feeding, and severity of iron deficiency. and IDA was evaluated among 50 infants who were inpatients diagnosed as IDA. Duration of breast feeding[1. age of exclusively breast-feeding(group A), 2. age that the ratio of breast feeding to weaning diet become 1:1(group B), and 3. age of complete weaning diet(group C)], Hb, Hct, MCV, MCH, RDW, PDW, reticulocyte, serum iron, ferritin, and TIBC were checked.
Results
: 1) The mean age was 14.5 months and male to female ratio was 4.5:1 2) The mean Hb level was 8.76g/dl 3) The mean of duration of group A, B and C was 7 months, 11 months, and 12 months, respectively. 4) Serum Hb showed moderate correlation with(r=0.42, p<0.03) group C. Serum iron showed moderate correlation with(r=0.47, p<0.006) group A. RDW showed high correlation with(r=0.67, p=0.0008) group C.
Conclusion
: Serum hemoglobin decreament occurs about 5 months after iron deficiency. RDW is the most sensitive indicator of IDA. We consider that an iron-fortified diet should be started on less than 7 months of age.

Keywords :Breast feeding, Iron deficiency anemia