Intervenciones para prevenir la anemia ferropénica del niño prematuro. Controversias

Abstract

The third trimester of gestation is the period of highest accretion of macro and micronutrients. Preterm newborns present a lower weight than full-term newborns. They should have a postnatal growth pace to allow them to reach a normal fetus composition of that conception age. To do so, an early nutrition should be set up to contribute several more amounts of nutrients than normally needed for full-term newborns, preventing complications during hospital stay. Nutritional deficit is difficult to compensate despite of early enteral and parenteral nutrition with fortified human milk. Iron plays an essential role and its depletion generates iron deficiency anemia which is common among this population as well as neurodevelopmental disorders. There are preventive measures such as delayed cord clamping and blood extraction control during hospitalization. However, there are some controversial issues in relation to iron doses, treatment duration, administration ways, transfusion criteria, the association with enterocolitis. In order the risk of angiogenic effect in the increase incidence of retinopathy on preterm infants. In current practice, the pediatrician faces the dilemma of deciding among different strategies to administer iron amounts so as to avoid iron deficiency anemia and also the excess related problems, so as to get rid of economic and social costs on the short and long terms, enhancing the development and health on childhood, teenage and adulthood.