|
Association of Maternal Serum Ferritin with Preterm Birth in Urmia Kosar Hospital
|
Siamak Naji Haddadi1    , Shabnam Vazifekhah *2 , Elham Mohammadpour3 |
1- Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Motahari Hospital
2- Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Kowsar Woman's General University Hospital , Shabnam.vazifekhah@yahoo.com
3- Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Kowsar Woman's General University Hospital |
|
|
Abstract: (15 Views) |
Background and purpose: Given that inflammation and infection are key etiologies of spontaneous preterm birth and are known to elevate serum ferritin, this study compared maternal ferritin levels between term and preterm deliveries to assess its clinical relevance.
Materials and methods: This case-control study was conducted at Kosar Hospital in Urmia in 2021. A total of 121 participants were enrolled using a convenience sampling method, comprising 60 women in the preterm delivery group and 61 women in the term delivery group. Maternal venous blood samples were collected from all participants prior to the onset of labor to measure serum ferritin levels. Demographic characteristics, obstetric history, paraclinical data, and neonatal outcomes were compared between the two groups.
Results: Among the 121 pregnant women included in the study, the mean maternal serum ferritin level was not significantly different between the preterm and term delivery groups (95.08 ng/mL versus 90.16 ng/mL, respectively; P = 0.948). Similarly, the prevalence of abnormal ferritin levels did not differ significantly between groups (85% in the preterm group vs. 90.2% in the term group; P = 0.38). However, neonates in the preterm group had a significantly lower mean birth weight compared to those in the term group (2202.83 g ± 648.97 g vs. 3272.79 g ± 453.88 g; P < 0.001). Furthermore, admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) was required for 50% of neonates in the preterm group, whereas no NICU admissions occurred in the term group (P < 0.001).
Conclusion: Although the higher serum ferritin levels in women with preterm birth were not statistically significant, this clinical observation underscores the need for further investigation. It appears that future prospective studies examining factors influencing ferritin levels and determining the optimal timing for its measurement during pregnancy could help clarify the actual role of this marker in predicting preterm birth. |
|
| Keywords: Pregnancy, Serum Ferritin, Term Birth, Preterm Birth |
|
|
|
Type of Study: Original |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2025/11/17 | Accepted: 2026/01/13
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Send email to the article author |
|
|
|
| Add your comments about this article |
|
|
|
.gif){kind=logo}
