SERUM FERRITIN AND HEMOGLOBIN LEVELS OF MOTHERS AND THEIR NEWBORNS

In this study, hemoglobin, serum ferritin, serum transferrin, transfer rin saturation, serum iron and total iron-binding capacity were measur ed in venous blood taken from 52 primiparous mothers approximately one hour before delivery and in cord blood from their newborns after birt h. The mean maternal serum ferritin level was 12.9 +/- 8.9 ng/ml. This value was lower than that of healthy women. The mean serum ferritin l evel of cord blood was 103.0 +/- 54.1 ng/ml. While we found no correla tion between maternal and cord blood hemoglobin values, we observed a significant positive correlation between serum ferritin values in mate rnal and cord blood. Only the serum ferritin levels of mothers whose i ron stores had been depleted were significantly reflected in their bab ies' levels (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant differ ence in other parameters (p > 0.05). It is concluded that serum ferrit in levels, which are affected earlier than hemoglobin levels, should b e measured for the diagnosis of occult iron deficiency.