Grant: Project Grant

IIron is an important nutrient for delivering oxygen to the body and for ideal growth and development. When mother's iron status in pregnancy is either too low (as in iron deficiency) or too high it can lead to complications such as low birth weight, preterm birth, pre-eclampsia. If her iron status is low it can also lead to baby starting life with low iron. There is not much known about iron status of) pregnant women in Canada. However, new research from Canada and Australia suggest that even women who eat right and take prenatal supplements may not have the amount of iron needed for a healthy pregnancy. In this study we will determine: 1.Iron status in a group of pregnant and early postpartum women using different blood markers. 2.Women's iron intake from diet and supplements and how these affect her iron status. 3.Whether women's iron status affects her pregnancy and her child at birth (e.g. are they likely to be born with a LBW). 4.Whether women's iron status in pregnancy affects her child's development. The Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition (APrON) study has already collected information from pregnant women about what they eat, the supplements they take, their pregnancy (such as weight gain or whether they had pre-eclampsia), and about their children's motor and intellectual development (such as IQ) up to 4 years old. APrON has also measured some blood markers of iron status. This study will measure more of the important iron blood markers and will combine this new data with information already collected to answer the questions described above. This study is important because it will tell us about the ranges of iron status of women during pregnancy and postpartum and how this has been affected by her diet and supplement intake. It will also tell us about iron status, pregnancy outcomes and child development in Canada. Results will help to guide help the research and policies needed to improve women and children's health.