Hemoglobin, serum iron, transferrin saturation and ferritin were measured on paired maternal and cord blood samples in 54 anemic (hemoglobin < 110 g/L) and 22 non-anemic (hemoglobin > or = 110 g/L) pregnant women at term gestation. The levels of hemoglobin, serum iron, transferrin saturation and ferritin were significantly low in the cord blood of anemic women, suggesting that iron supply to the fetus was reduced in maternal anemia. The linear relationships of these parameters with both maternal hemoglobin and maternal serum ferritin indicated that the fetus extracted iron in amounts proportional to the levels available in the mother. Infants of mothers with moderate and severe anemia had significantly lower cord serum ferritin levels and hence poor iron stores at birth. It is concluded that iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy adversely affects the iron endowment of the infant at birth.

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Both conservative and operative forms of treatment have been recommended for patients with a 'floating shoulder'. We compared the results of conservative and operative treatment in 25 patients with this injury and investigated the use of the glenopolar angle (GPA) as an indicator of the functional outcome. A total of 13 patients (ten male and three female; mean age 32.5 years (24.7 to 40.4)) were treated conservatively and 12 patients (ten male and two female; mean age 33.67 years (24.6 to 42.7)) were treated operatively by fixation of the clavicular fracture alone. Outcome was assessed using the Herscovici score, which was also related to changes in the GPA at one year post-operatively. The mean Herscovici score was significantly better three months and two years after the injury in the operative group (p < 0.001 and p = 0.003, respectively). There was a negative correlation between the change in GPA and the Herscovici score at two years follow-up in both the conservative and operative groups, but neither were statistically significant (r = -0.295 and r = -0.19, respectively). There was a significant difference between the pre- and post-operative GPA in the operative group (p = 0.017). When compared with conservative treatment, fixation of the clavicle alone gives better results in the treatment of patients with a floating shoulder. The GPA changes significantly with fixation of clavicle alone but there is no significant correlation between the pre-injury GPA and the final clinical outcome in these patients.

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