A recent study reveals that babies born to mothers with anaemia during pregnancy may have smaller brains and altered development lasting into early childhood, underscoring the importance of early screening and treatment.
Babies born to mothers with anaemia during pregnancy may have smaller brains and altered development that can still be seen years later, according to researchers from King’s College London and the University of Cape Town.
The study followed more than 300 mother-and-baby pairs in Cape Town and used portable MRI scans repeatedly from around three months to the age of two. Researchers found that infants born to anaemic mothers had, on average, a smaller overall brain volume than those whose mothers did not have anaemia. The differences were visible from about 12 months of age.
The strongest effects were seen in three regions linked to important thinking and behavioural functions: the putamen, the caudate nucleus and the corpus callosum. Jessica Ellen Ringshaw, the study’s lead author, said these areas are involved in processing speed, emotional regulation and executive function, the mental skills used for planning, focusing attention and managing impulses.
Ringshaw said the gap did not disappear as children grew. By the age of two, the corpus callosum, the brain’s largest white-matter structure, was around 6% smaller in the children of anaemic mothers. She said the pattern suggests the differences may still matter when children reach school age, potentially showing up as more obvious cognitive difficulties.
The findings add to evidence that maternal anaemia, which affects more than a third of pregnant women worldwide and is often caused by iron deficiency, can have consequences beyond pregnancy. The researchers said mothers in the study were otherwise similar in terms of income and food security, which strengthens the case that anaemia itself helped drive the differences observed.
Ringshaw said the results underline the need to screen for anaemia and iron deficiency during pregnancy, and to treat it early with iron supplements or, where appropriate, infusions. King’s College London said the research offers early evidence that preventing and treating anaemia before and during pregnancy may support healthier child development.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
