Iron stores at birth are essential to meet iron needs during the first 4-6 months of life.  This study aimed to investigate iron stores in normal birth weight, healthy, term neonates.  Umbilical cord blood samples were collected from apparently normal singleton vaginal deliveries (n=854).  Subjects were screened and excluded if C-reactive protein (CRP) >5 mg/L or α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) >1 g/L, preterm (<37 complete weeks), term <2500g or term >4000g.  In total 762 samples were included in the study.  Serum ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), hepcidin, and erythropoietin (EPO) were measured in umbilical cord blood samples; total body iron (TBI) (mg/kg) was calculated using sTfR and ferritin concentrations.  19.8% newborns were iron deficient (ferritin <35 μg/L) and an additional 46.6% had insufficient iron stores (ferritin <76 μg/L).  There was a positive association between serum ferritin and sTfR, hepcidin and EPO.  Gestational age was positively associated with ferritin, sTfR, EPO and hepcidin.  In conclusion, we demonstrate a high prevalence of insufficient iron stores in a Chinese birth cohort.  The value of cord sTfR and TBI in the assessment of iron status in the newborn is questionable, and reference ranges need to be established.