Hong Kong Journal of Paediatrics [HK J Paediatr (New Series) 2015;20:71-79]

Department of Gastroenterology, Children's Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 57 Zhugan Xiang Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, China
J Lou (樓金旰) MD, PhD

Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan, 300 North Ingalls Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
X Mai MD, PhD
B Lozoff MD
BT Felt MD

Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan, 300 North Ingalls Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
B Lozoff MD
BT Felt MD

Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Michigan, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
PR Kileny PhD

Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 57 Zhugan Xiang Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, China
Z Zhao (趙正言) MD
J Shao (邵潔) MD

Correspondence to: Dr J Shao

Received January 20, 2014

Purpose: To examine whether prenatal iron deficiency delays auditory brainstem response (ABR) maturation in infancy. Methods: One hundred and fifteen full-term healthy Chinese infants with maternal and cord blood haemoglobin and serum ferritin determinations were recruited into this study. Forty-eight infants received ABR testing at 3 months, and 45 infants were tested at 10 months. Comparison of the ABR variables were made between infants with and those without evidence of prenatal iron deficiency (maternal 3rd trimester haemoglobin <110 g/L, cord blood ferritin <75 μg/L); or anaemia at 10 months (haemoglobin <110 g/L). Results: Latencies for wave V and wave III-V and I-V intervals were prolonged at 3 months in infants of anaemic mothers (effect sizes 1.02-1.19 SD). At 10 months, infants with low cord blood serum ferritin (indicating low iron stores at birth) showed longer wave I latency and possibly wave V latency also, besides demonstrating a smaller wave V amplitude (effect sizes 0.58-0.62 SD). Infants with low ferritin at birth and anemia at 10 months had longer wave III-V latency than other groups. Conclusion: In full-term healthy infants, prenatal iron deficiency appears to have adverse effects on the developing central nervous system and auditory system as assessed by ABRs at 3 and/or 10 months.