Iron requirement in low birthweight infants.

Since fullsize newborns have adequate iron stores, severe iron deficiency anaemia rarely develops in these infants. If it develops, it is usually due to intestinal blood loss. Low birthweight infants have reduced iron stores resulting in higher nutritional iron requirements. Despite supplementation preterm infants reach at about two months lower Hb values than full-term infants, but subsequent anaemia is prevented. Iron supplementation should at least during the first six weeks be combined with vitamin E supplementation. Different iron dosages are suggested for different birthweights.