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Obesity during pregnancy and fetal iron status: is Hepcidin the link?

Journal of Perinatology volume 33, pages 177–181 (2013)Cite this article

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Abstract

Objective:

To ascertain the effect of obesity-related inflammation on maternal and fetal iron status. We hypothesized that obese (Ob) pregnant women would have increased inflammation, hepcidin levels, and that their infants would have impaired iron status compared with lean (Lc) controls.

Study Design:

Fifteen Ob and fifteen Lc women were recruited in their second trimester of pregnancy. Markers of iron status, inflammation and hepcidin were measured in maternal and cord blood. Student's t-test was used to compare Ob and Lc groups, and Pearson's correlation coefficients were determined between maternal and cord blood values.

Result:

Maternal C-reactive protein (P<0.01) and hepcidin (P<0.01) were higher, and cord blood iron (P<0.01) was lower in the Ob group. Maternal body mass index (P<0.01) and hepcidin (P<0.05) were negatively correlated with cord blood iron status.

Conclusion:

Maternal obesity is associated with impaired maternal-fetal iron transfer, potentially through hepcidin upregulation.

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Acknowledgements

This research has been supported by: USDA contract # 58-1950-7-707, Tufts Medical Center Research Grant and The Natalie V. Zucker Foundation for Women Scholars, Stanley N. Gershoff scholarship, NHLBI T32 Nutrition and Cardiovascular Disease Training Program.

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Author notes

  1. M C Dao and S Sen: These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Boston, MA, USA

    M C Dao, S Sen & S N Meydani

  2. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Boston, MA, USA

    M C Dao & S N Meydani

  3. Mother Infant Research Institute at Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    S Sen

  4. Division of Newborn Medicine, Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    S Sen & D Klebenov

  5. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    C Iyer

  6. Sackler Graduate Program in Immunology, Boston, MA, USA

    S N Meydani

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  1. M C Dao
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  2. S Sen
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  3. C Iyer
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  4. D Klebenov
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to S N Meydani.

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Dao, M., Sen, S., Iyer, C. et al. Obesity during pregnancy and fetal iron status: is Hepcidin the link?. J Perinatol 33, 177–181 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2012.81

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2012.81

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