The Relationship between Maternal Anemia and Retinopathy of Prematurity in Newborns

Background: Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of blindness in developed and developing countries. Maternal anemia can endanger the health of the fetus. Studies suggest a link between maternal anemia and an increased risk of ROP in newborns. Therefore, this study aimed to determine...

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Main Authors: Vahid Aminzadeh, Reza Sharafi, Afagh Hassanzadeh Rad, Sadroddin Mahdipour
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Mashhad University of Medical Sciences 2025-07-01
Series:Iranian Journal of Neonatology
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Online Access:https://ijn.mums.ac.ir/article_26121_e3bd21e6292ed7de75bd2886582e0901.pdf
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author Vahid Aminzadeh
Reza Sharafi
Afagh Hassanzadeh Rad
Sadroddin Mahdipour
author_facet Vahid Aminzadeh
Reza Sharafi
Afagh Hassanzadeh Rad
Sadroddin Mahdipour
author_sort Vahid Aminzadeh
collection DOAJ
description Background: Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of blindness in developed and developing countries. Maternal anemia can endanger the health of the fetus. Studies suggest a link between maternal anemia and an increased risk of ROP in newborns. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the relationship between maternal anemia and ROP in newborns. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on premature infants. Group 1 consisted of all infants diagnosed with ROP (n = 51). The control group included premature infants without ROP. Demographic characteristics and laboratory results were compared between the groups. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 19. Results: The results showed that 34 infants (75.6%) had ROP in both eyes, and the remainder in one eye. Regarding ROP stage, most infants (71.7%) were in stage 2 and zone 3. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were significantly lower in the ROP group than in the control group. Furthermore, the comparison of the two groups in terms of anemia (hemoglobin < 11 g/dL) indicated a significantly higher prevalence of maternal anemia in infants with ROP (23 [45.1%]) than in the control group (8 [15.4%]) (P = 0.001). Conclusion: Our results suggest that maternal anemia and hemoglobin level are risk factors for the development of ROP in preterm infants. Given that the diagnosis and treatment of anemia in pregnant women is cost-effective and straightforward, it is crucial to prioritize diagnosis and treatment in mothers at high risk of preterm delivery to potentially reduce the incidence of ROP.
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spelling doaj-art-7f0325e0540a44f3b30d0c3281d8be3e2025-08-20T03:56:05ZengMashhad University of Medical SciencesIranian Journal of Neonatology2251-75102322-21582025-07-01163141810.22038/ijn.2025.75997.246626121The Relationship between Maternal Anemia and Retinopathy of Prematurity in NewbornsVahid Aminzadeh0Reza Sharafi1Afagh Hassanzadeh Rad2Sadroddin Mahdipour3Pediatric Diseases Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, IranPediatric Diseases Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, IranPediatric Diseases Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, IranPediatric Diseases Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, IranBackground: Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of blindness in developed and developing countries. Maternal anemia can endanger the health of the fetus. Studies suggest a link between maternal anemia and an increased risk of ROP in newborns. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the relationship between maternal anemia and ROP in newborns. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on premature infants. Group 1 consisted of all infants diagnosed with ROP (n = 51). The control group included premature infants without ROP. Demographic characteristics and laboratory results were compared between the groups. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 19. Results: The results showed that 34 infants (75.6%) had ROP in both eyes, and the remainder in one eye. Regarding ROP stage, most infants (71.7%) were in stage 2 and zone 3. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were significantly lower in the ROP group than in the control group. Furthermore, the comparison of the two groups in terms of anemia (hemoglobin < 11 g/dL) indicated a significantly higher prevalence of maternal anemia in infants with ROP (23 [45.1%]) than in the control group (8 [15.4%]) (P = 0.001). Conclusion: Our results suggest that maternal anemia and hemoglobin level are risk factors for the development of ROP in preterm infants. Given that the diagnosis and treatment of anemia in pregnant women is cost-effective and straightforward, it is crucial to prioritize diagnosis and treatment in mothers at high risk of preterm delivery to potentially reduce the incidence of ROP.https://ijn.mums.ac.ir/article_26121_e3bd21e6292ed7de75bd2886582e0901.pdfanemianeonateprematurityretinopathy
spellingShingle Vahid Aminzadeh
Reza Sharafi
Afagh Hassanzadeh Rad
Sadroddin Mahdipour
The Relationship between Maternal Anemia and Retinopathy of Prematurity in Newborns
Iranian Journal of Neonatology
anemia
neonate
prematurity
retinopathy
title The Relationship between Maternal Anemia and Retinopathy of Prematurity in Newborns
title_full The Relationship between Maternal Anemia and Retinopathy of Prematurity in Newborns
title_fullStr The Relationship between Maternal Anemia and Retinopathy of Prematurity in Newborns
title_full_unstemmed The Relationship between Maternal Anemia and Retinopathy of Prematurity in Newborns
title_short The Relationship between Maternal Anemia and Retinopathy of Prematurity in Newborns
title_sort relationship between maternal anemia and retinopathy of prematurity in newborns
topic anemia
neonate
prematurity
retinopathy
url https://ijn.mums.ac.ir/article_26121_e3bd21e6292ed7de75bd2886582e0901.pdf
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