Iron supplementation in infancy, regardless of iron supplementation
in pregnancy, improves gross motor development at age 9 months,
according to research published online March 2 in Pediatrics.
Rosa M. Angulo-Barroso, Ph.D., of California State University in
Northridge, and colleagues analyzed data for 1,196 infants who were
randomly assigned to supplemental iron or placebo from age 6 weeks to 9
months. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) was linked to an RCT of
iron supplementation in pregnancy. The effects of iron supplementation
in pregnancy and/or infancy on motor development at age 9 months were
assessed.
The researchers found that iron supplementation in infancy, but not
in pregnancy, was associated with improvements in gross motor scores
(overall, P < 0.001; reflexes, P = 0.03; stationary, P < 0.001;
and locomotion, P < 0.001). Compared with no supplementation or
supplementation during pregnancy alone, iron supplementation in infancy
improved motor scores by 0.3 standard deviations. No difference was
observed in the effects of iron supplementation during infancy alone
versus iron supplementation during both pregnancy and infancy.
"The RCT design supports the causal inference that iron
supplementation in infancy, with or without iron supplementation in
pregnancy, improved gross motor test scores at 9 months," the authors
write.
Vifor Pharma provided funding for the pregnancy study. One author disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry.