Muhammad Aqeel Khan¹, Irum Naz³, Ashraf Khan² and Muhammad Arif¹

ABSTRACT

Objective: To determine the frequency of iron deficiency anemia in infants with highly suspected clinical features and to compare frequency of iron deficiency anemia between breastfeeding and bottle feeding.  

Study Design: Prospective / cross sectional study

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Pediatrics department Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar from 22-01-2016 to 22-07-2016.

Materials and Methods: A total of 164 infants with age up to 9 months of either sex and with clinical suspicion of anemia were included in the study, using probability consecutive sampling technique. Infants who were on multivitamin or iron therapy and/or with history of blood transfusions in the last three months were excluded from the study.

Results: The mean age of the overall sample was 5.5 + 2.3 months. The mean age of breast fed infants was 5.7 + 2.1 months and that of bottle fed was 5.4 + 2.4 months (p 0.329). We had 59.8% males in breast fed and 50% in bottle fed infants. Female infants were 40.2% in breast fed and 50% in bottle fed infants. IDA of the overall sample was 19.5%. We observed IDA in 9.8% of breast fed and 29.3% of the bottle fed infants (p 0.002). 

Conclusion: IDA was prevalent in both breast fed and bottle fed infants with significant incidence in bottle fed infants as compared to breast fed infants. 

Key Words: Iron deficiency anemia, Ferritin, Hemoglobin, Red blood cells, Breast feeding, Bottle feeding.

Citation of articles: Khan MA, Naz I, Khan A, Arif M.  Frequency of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Breast Fed