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Serum ferritin and cobalamin in growth retarded fetuses
Author(s) -
Abbas Anthony,
Snijders Rosalinde J. M.,
Nicolaides Kypros H.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1994.tb13112.x
Subject(s) - cobalamin , fetus , ferritin , medicine , endocrinology , gestation , venous blood , gestational age , pregnancy , physiology , biology , vitamin b12 , genetics
Objective To examine fetal and maternal serum cobalamin and ferritin concentrations in pregnancies complicated by fetal growth retardation. Setting Harris Birthright Research Centre for Fetal Medicine, King's College Hospital Medical School, London. Design Cross sectional study. Subject Fetal blood samples obtained by cordocentesis from 20 growth retarded fetuses at 26 to 36 weeks of gestation. Maternal venous blood was also collected and serum ferritin and cobalamin concentrations were measured by radio‐immunoassay in the fetal and maternal samples. Results In the growth retarded group, the mean fetal serum concentration of cobalamin was higher than the normal mean for gestation ( t = 3.27 , P < 0.01 ), and this increase was significantly associated with fetal acidaemia ( r =−0.686 , P < 0.001 ) and erythroblastosis ( r = 0.731 , P < 0.001 ). In contrast, the fetal to maternal ferritin ratio was significantly reduced; there was a nonsignificant decrease in fetal serum and an increase in maternal serum ferritin concentration. There was an association between fetal serum ferritin concentration and erythrocyte count ( r =–0.612 , P < 0.01 ). Conclusions In placental insufficiency, as in postnatal starvation and Kwashiorkor syndrome, uptake and storage of cobalamin by the fetal liver may be impaired. The decrease in fetal to maternal ratio of ferritin could be the consequence of impaired placental perfusion.