Iron Absorption and Requirements in Pregnancy and Lactation

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Conditions studied: Iron Requirements, Pregnancy, Lactation, Infancy, Iron Absorption

In brief

Iron requirements increase significantly during pregnancy. Current recommendations for iron intake in pregnant and lactating women (PLW) are mainly based on factorial estimates and extrapolated from non-PLW. High-quality quantitative data on iron requirements in PLW are lacking, particularly in Sub- Saharan Africa where anaemia and infections are common. The primary objective of this study is to use the stable iron isotope technique to determine iron requirements and assess iron absorption and losses in PLW living in Kenya. In this prospective observational study, we will enrol pregnant women in the first trimester (n = 250) from a previous study cohort (n=1000) who participated in an iron absorption study at least 12 months ago and received the stable iron (Fe) isotope 57Fe. This 57Fe has now distributed and equilibrated throughout the women's body iron. Once enrolled in the present study, following Kenyan guidelines, women will receive standard prenatal care, including routine daily iron and folate supplementation. We will collect venous blood samples in each trimester and at delivery, and during the first 6 months of lactation in the mothers and infants (heel prick samples). To directly assess dietary iron absorption, in a randomly selected subset of women (n=35), oral and intravenous stable iron isotope tracers (54Fe, 58Fe) will be administered in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT05973552

Run by

University of Oxford

People needed

250

Starts

2023-07-31

Expected to finish

2026-09-01

Last updated by the study team

2023-08-03

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 45. Sex: female. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Providing consent to the informed consent form
• Participation in a previous stable isotope absorption study and having received an oral dose of 15 mg 57Fe at least 12 months prior to the date of inclusion in the study
• Positive pregnancy test and gestational age <10 weeks based on history of last menstrual period
• Permanent residence in the study area, and not expected to leave the study site for more than 4 weeks over the following 16 months
• Assessment of good health by professional staff at Msambweni Hospital

You may not qualify if…

• Pre-pregnancy body mass index >30 kg/m2
• Blood transfusion or intravenous iron treatment within 4 months of study start
• Major chronic infectious disease (e.g., tuberculosis, HIV+, hepatitis)
• Major chronic non-infectious disease (e.g., Type 1 or 2 diabetes, cancer)

Where it is running

• Msambweni Referral Hospital — Msambweni, Kenya (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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