The impact of maternal anemia on fetal development during mid-to-late pregnancy is well established. However, its effects in early pregnancy remain unclear. To address this gap, a study has examined the association between maternal anemia in early pregnancy and the risk of congenital heart disease (CHD) in offspring, analyzing data from 2,776 women with a CHD-diagnosed child and 13,880 matched controls. In the study, 123 (4.4%) of the case group and 390 (2.8%) of the control group had anemia. Notably, mothers who were anemic in early pregnancy had a 47% increased risk of giving birth to a child with CHD (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 1.47).
Based on these findings, the study recommends iron supplementation before conception and during the first trimester to help prevent CHD in newborns. Did you find this article interesting? ##Reference## Nair M, Drakesmith CW, Smith DM, et al. Maternal…
