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Age and sex-based impacts of maternal iron deficiency on offspring’s cognitive function and anemia: A systematic review

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

Iron deficiency is a recognized global health concern, particularly impactful during pregnancy where the mother serves as the primary source of iron for the developing fetus. Adequate maternal iron levels are crucial for fetal growth and cognitive development. This review investigates the correlation between maternal iron deficiency and cognitive impairment and anemia in offspring, considering age and gender differentials. PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases were queried using keywords "maternal," "iron," "gender/sex," and "cognition." The review included studies on human and animal subjects where maternal iron deficiency was the exposure and offspring cognitive function and anemia were outcomes. Out of 1139 articles screened, fourteen met inclusion criteria. Twelve studies highlighted cognitive deficits in offspring of iron-deficient mothers, with females generally exhibiting milder impairment compared to males. Additionally, two studies noted increased anemia prevalence in offspring of iron-deficient mothers, particularly affecting males and younger individuals. The findings suggest that male offspring are at higher risk of both anemia and cognitive dysfunction during youth, while females face increased risks in adulthood. Thus, maternal iron deficiency elevates the likelihood of anemia and cognitive impairments in offspring, underscoring the importance of addressing maternal iron status for optimal child health.

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Fig. 1: Flowchart detailing the study selection procedure using the PRISMA guideline [42].

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available in the supporting information of this article and from the corresponding author upon request.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB 2254, Sokoto, Nigeria

    Saudatu Faruk, Kamaldeen Olalekan Sanusi, Kasimu Ghandi Ibrahim, Bilyaminu Abubakar, Ibrahim Malami, Muhammad Bashir Bello, Murtala Bello Abubakar & Mustapha Umar Imam

  2. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, P.M.B. 2346, Sokoto, Nigeria

    Saudatu Faruk & Abdullahi Yahya Abbas

  3. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB 2254, Sokoto, Nigeria

    Kamaldeen Olalekan Sanusi, Kasimu Ghandi Ibrahim & Murtala Bello Abubakar

  4. Department of Basic Medical and Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Zarqa University, P.O.Box 2000, Zarqa, 13110, Jordan

    Kasimu Ghandi Ibrahim

  5. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB 2254, Sokoto, Nigeria

    Bilyaminu Abubakar

  6. Department of Pharmacognosy and Ethnopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB 2254, Sokoto, Nigeria

    Ibrahim Malami

  7. Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB 2254, Sokoto, Nigeria

    Muhammad Bashir Bello

  8. Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB 2254, Sokoto, Nigeria

    Mustapha Umar Imam

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Contributions

SF: conceptualization; literature search, data extraction, writing and drafting. KOS: literature search, data extraction, writing and drafting. KGI, IM, MBB and MBA: data synthesis, quality assessment, review and editing, supervision. AYA and MUI: data synthesis, quality assessment, review and editing, supervision, project management and conflict resolution.

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Correspondence to Mustapha Umar Imam.

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Faruk, S., Sanusi, K.O., Ibrahim, K.G. et al. Age and sex-based impacts of maternal iron deficiency on offspring’s cognitive function and anemia: A systematic review. Eur J Clin Nutr (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-024-01423-x

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