In Cape Town, researchers have found that the quiet insufficiency of a mother's blood — too few red cells, too little iron — leaves a measurable imprint on the architecture of her child's developing brain, one that does not fade as the child grows but deepens. A study following more than 300 mothers and infants revealed that mild maternal anaemia, a condition affecting over a third of pregnant women worldwide, is associated with brain volumes roughly 4% smaller in affected infants, concentrated in regions governing movement, learning, and emotional regulation. The findings arrive not as a surp
Maternal anaemia linked to smaller brains in infants, study warns
Children born to anaemic mothers face potential cognitive difficulties and developmental delays starting in school years.