Ferritin in mother and baby

Kelly, Anne Maclaren (1978) Ferritin in mother and baby. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

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Abstract

Reagents for a 2-site radioimmunassay ferritin have been prepared and the experimental condicions of the assay determined. Gestational changes in the ferritin concentration of maternal and fetal plasma, fetal organs and the placenta were found. No previous studies have shown plasma ferritin to decrease with advancing gestation in normal pregnant subjects maintained onprophylactic iron and that 30 per cent of mothers have depleted iron stores at term (Kelly et al, 1977). Patients with infections, intrauterine growth retardation and pre-eclamptic toxaemia had elevated ferritin concentrations and in the latter the severity of the condition was proportional to the increase in plasma ferritin. Cord bloods had higher ferritin concentrations than maternal bloods and increased within 24 hours of delivery. In premature neonates the increase in ferritin continued over a period of seven days. The neonatal plasma ferritin was related to gestation, birth weight and the bilirubin concentration. There was no direct correlation between maternal and cord ferritin in the circulation but when-the ferritin concentration of the mother signified that maternal iron stores were depleted, there was a significant reduction in the cord ferritin concentration (Kelly et al, 1973). The total content and concentration of ferritin in liver, heart and spleen from 24 to 41 gestational. weeks was determined and liver was found to contain the greatest amount of ferritin. The ferritin content of the three organs related to body weight and gestation. The growth retarded livers had low concentrations and total contents of ferritin but only the latter occurred in spleens which were small for gestational age. The ferritin concentration of the liver and spleens of twins appeared to be lower than in singletons of equivalent gestation. In the placenta the ferritin concentration increased until the eighteenth week before decreasing until 37 weeks when a second increase occurred at term. No difference in ferritin concentration was found between the peripheral and central areas but a concentration gradient was present between the maternal and fetal surface. Electron micrographs of term placentae showed that ferritin was localised on the rough endoplasmic reticulum of the syncytiotrophoblast. The concentration of ferritin in term placentae associated with low maternal human placental lactogen concentrations or urinary oestriol excretions and in small term placentae was not significantly different from control organs but the total ferritin content of the small placentae was reduced (Kelly, 1978). There is evidence to suggest that the placenta can effectively prevent the deposition of excess storage iron in fetal organs.

Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
Qualification Level: Doctoral
Additional Information: Adviser: M C Macnaughton
Keywords: Biochemistry, Obstetrics
Date of Award: 1978
Depositing User: Enlighten Team
Unique ID: glathesis:1978-72431
Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
Date Deposited: 24 May 2019 15:12
Last Modified: 24 May 2019 15:12
URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/72431

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