PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - J. K. Friel
AU  - W. L. Andrews
AU  - J. D. Matthew
AU  - D. R. Long
AU  - A. M. Cornel
AU  - M. Cox
AU  - C. T. Skinner
TI  - Iron status of very-low-birth-weight infants during the first 15 months of infancy
DP  - 1990 Oct 15
TA  - Canadian Medical Association Journal
PG  - 733--737
VI  - 143
IP  - 8
4099  - http://www.cmaj.ca/content/143/8/733.short
4100  - http://www.cmaj.ca/content/143/8/733.full
SO  - CMAJ1990 Oct 15; 143
AB  - The adequacy of iron stores in infants of very low birth weight (defined as less than 1500 g) in Canada is unknown. We monitored the iron status of 81 such infants at 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 months of age. All of the infants were fed formula fortified with iron (13 mg/L) for at least 6 months, starting at 2 months of age. The plasma ferritin level decreased after the formula was no longer used. Although 90% of the infants were given cereal fortified with iron (30 mg of iron per 100 g) by 9 months of age, the plasma ferritin level continued to decrease. The level was less than 10 micrograms/L in 54% of the infants at 12 months of age and in 74% at 15 months; this indicated depleted iron stores. Because of delayed development very-low-birth-weight infants eat small amounts of cereal and therefore require iron-fortified formula throughout infancy.