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Query: UMLS:C0240066 (iron deficiency)
 7,156 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A negative association between anemia and duration of gestation and low birth weight has been reported in the majority of studies, although a causal link remains to be proven. This paper explores potential biological mechanisms that might explain how anemia, iron deficiency or both could cause low birth weight and preterm delivery. The risk factors for preterm delivery and intrauterine growth retardation are quite similar, although relatively little is understood about the influence of maternal nutritional status on risk of preterm delivery. Several potential biological mechanisms were identified through which anemia or iron deficiency could affect pregnancy outcome. Anemia (by causing hypoxia) and iron deficiency (by increasing serum norepinephrine concentrations) can induce maternal and fetal stress, which stimulates the synthesis of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). Elevated CRH concentrations are a major risk factor for preterm labor, pregnancy-induced hypertension and eclampsia, and premature rupture of the membranes. CRH also increases fetal cortisol production, and cortisol may inhibit longitudinal growth of the fetus. An alternative mechanism could be that iron deficiency increases oxidative damage to erythrocytes and the fetoplacental unit. Iron deficiency may also increase the risk of maternal infections, which can stimulate the production of CRH and are a major risk factor for preterm delivery. It would be useful to explore these potential biological mechanisms in randomized, controlled iron supplementation trials in anemic and iron-deficient pregnant women.
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PMID:Biological mechanisms that might underlie iron's effects on fetal growth and preterm birth. 1116 May 91

Anemia is a major cause of maternal mortality in India. In 1990, 19% of the maternal deaths were related to anemia. It is also a contributory factor to maternal deaths caused by hemorrhage, septicemia, and eclampsia. Anemia caused by lack of iron is the commonest nutritional deficiency in the world. According to recent reports, a significant number of children and women in the western world are also iron deficient. An adult man needs a daily amount of 1.1 mg of iron, compared with twice as much by a woman even when she is not pregnant. The total iron needed during pregnancy is about 1000 mg. The daily requirements for iron, as well as folate, are 6 times greater for a woman in the last trimester of pregnancy than for a nonpregnant woman. In healthy, well-nourished women with adequate iron stores, about half the total requirement of iron during pregnancy may come from maternal reserves. If the diet is not supplemented with extra iron, a woman will become progressively depleted of iron during pregnancy, and anemia will result. Lack of iron directly affects the immune system; it diminishes the number of T-cells and the production of antibodies. The World Health Organization (WHO) defined 3 stages of iron-deficiency: decreased storage of iron without any other detectable abnormalities; iron stores are exhausted, but anemia has not occurred yet; and overt iron deficiency when there is a decrease in the concentration of circulating hemoglobin. The end result of iron deficiency is nutritional anemia. Most Indian women are anemic with a hemoglobin level of 7-10.5 gm% (the norm is 11.5-14.0 gm%). Iron supplementation, calcium supplements, and a high-protein diet should be given these women during pregnancy. They should also be made aware about proper birth spacing, especially in rural areas, under existing government education programs.
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PMID:Anaemia -- a major cause of maternal death. 1217 89

Reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome (RPLS) is recently described disorder with typical radiological findings in the posterior regions of the cerebral hemisphere and cerebellum. Its clinical symptoms include headache, decreased alertness, mental abnormalities, such as confusion, diminished spontaneity of speech, and changed behavior ranging from drowsiness to stupor, seizures, vomiting and abnormalities of visual perception like cortical blindness. RPLS is caused by various heterogeneous factors, the commonest being hypertension, followed by non-hypertensive causes such as eclampsia, renal diseases and immunosuppressive therapy. We presented nine patients with RPLS who had primary diagnoses such as acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis, idiopathic hypertension, the performing of intravenous immunoglobulin for infection with crescentic glomerulonephritis, erythrocyte transfusion for severe iron deficiency, L: -asparaginase treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia and performing of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor for ulcerative colitis due to neutropenia. Early recognition of RPLS as complication during different diseases and therapy in childhood may facilitate precise diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
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PMID:Reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome in childhood: report of nine cases and review of the literature. 1980 87