The Contribution of Maternal Iron Stores to Fetal Iron in Rats

Abstract
The contribution of maternal iron stores to fetal iron content in rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain has been examined. 59Fe was injected intramuscularly into two groups of rats to label iron in the liver. Two weeks later one group was bred. After delivery of fetuses, all animals were killed and examined for distribution of radioactivity and nonheme iron content in fetuses and livers. By calculation we found that 89% of total fetal iron was present as nonheme iron and that 81% of this, or 72% of the total, had originated in maternal iron stores.

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