Unexpectedly high early prevalence of anaemia in 6-month-old breast-fed infants in rural Bangladesh.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of anaemia and maternal and infant factors associated with Hb values in infants at 6 months of age in rural Bangladesh.

DESIGN

Infants (born to mothers supplemented with Fe-folic acid from mid-pregnancy) were visited at birth and 6 months of age. Mothers' anthropometric status, and infants' birth weight, gestational age at birth, weight and Hb concentration at 6 months were measured. Household socio-economic and demographic data, infant feeding practices and health status were collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire.

SETTING

Rural Bangladesh.

SUBJECTS: Four hundred and two infants.

RESULTS

For the total cohort (n 402), the range of anaemia prevalence values was from 30.6 % using a cut-off value of Hb < 95 g/l to 71.9 % using a value of Hb < 110 g/l. Birth weight and month of birth were the only factors positively associated with infant Hb in a linear regression model (P = 0.008 and 0.011, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

There was an unexpectedly high prevalence of anaemia in infants at 6 months of age, before the assumed period of vulnerability. Hb at this age tended to be higher in those with higher birth weight. We also found a season effect on Hb, as it tended to be higher as the study progressed. The high prevalence of anaemia at such an early age needs to be addressed to minimize the disease's long-term consequences.