Iron Deficiency Anaemia among Exclusively Breastfed Term Infants of 4-6 Months Age and its Contributing Factors: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: The risk of Iron Deficiency (ID) is a major concern associated with exclusively breastfed infants of age 4-6 months. According to World Health Organisation (WHO) iron should be universally supplemented from six months onwards instead of four months as recommended by American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP).

Aim: To determine ID and Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) among infants of age 4-6 months and relation of same to various socioeconomic and maternal parameters.

Materials and Methods: This was a hospital-based, prospective, cross-sectional study conducted in the Department of Paediatrics of a tertiary care hospital in India. It included a sample population of 200 exclusively breastfed term infants, of age 4-6 months. Iron status was determined by studying the haemoglobin and serum ferritin levels and their associations to demographic, socio-economic and maternal parameters. Qualitative variables were analysed using the Chi-square test/Fisher’s-exact test. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to find out significant risk factors of ID and IDA.

Results: Age wise distribution of infants was 91 (45.5%), 62 (31%), and 47 (23.5%) at 4, 5, and 6 months. Male-to-female ratio was 1.7:1. Mean±SD value of haemoglobin and serum ferritin was 10.82±0.60 g/dL and 44.60±25.02 µg/L, respectively. Prevalence of ID was 11 (12.09%), 16 (25.81%), and 16 (34.04%) at ages 4, 5, and 6 months, respectively. On multivariate regression analysis, age of mother <20 years (p-value 0.043), and increasing parity (p-value 0.001) were associated with low iron status.

Conclusion: Almost one-third healthy term exclusively breastfed infants become iron deficient by the age of six months. The study supports the need for iron supplementation from the age of four months universally instead of six months in exclusively breastfed term infants.