Anemia During Pregnancy, High Chances of Children's Heart Disease...47% above normal ↑
Apr 24, 2025
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Researchers at the British Heart Foundation published a study confirming the link between congenital heart disease and anemia in the early stages of pregnancy in the international journal 'International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology'.
The study estimated that one in 20 cases of congenital heart disease in the UK could be attributed to anemia in pregnant women.
The researchers examined data from 16,500 pregnant women and found that mothers are 47% more likely to have children with congenital heart disease than one in 100 who is usually at risk if they have anemia during the first 100 days of pregnancy.
Severe anemia in the late pregnancy is known to cause problems such as low birth weight and premature birth. However, until now, little has been known about the effects of anemia in the early stages of pregnancy when the fetal heart develops.
Duncan Sparrow, an associate professor at the British Heart Foundation at Oxford University who led the study, explained "We already know that the risk of congenital heart disease can be increased by a variety of factors, but the results of this study could specifically develop our understanding of anemia and be applied in clinical practice.'
In addition, he stated "Since iron deficiency is the root cause of many cases of anemia, widespread distribution of iron supplements to women could help prevent congenital heart disease in newborns to some extent".
Dr. Sonja Babu-Narayan, clinical director and cardiologist at the British Heart Foundation, said "Supplementing iron in the early stages of pregnancy, when the baby's heart is formed, can provide significant benefits to the baby's lifelong heart health."
On the other hand, iron deficiency during pregnancy is mostly caused by iron deficiency in the diet. Consuming iron-rich foods such as red meat, red kidney beans, peas, chickpeas, nuts, and leafy green vegetables can naturally increase levels. The liver also contains very high levels of iron, but it is not recommended for pregnant women. Vitamin C can also help the body absorb iron more effectively.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
