New mothers who are mildly iron-deficient--a common result of childbirth among women who do not take minerals--are less emotionally available or "in tune with" their babies, a Penn State study has shown.

Dr. Laura Murray-Kolb, a National Institute of Mental Health post-doctoral fellow in child development at Penn State, led the study. She says:

"Earlier research had shown that anemic women may experience post-partum depression and that women with moderate iron deficiency have a slow-down in thinking and memory. Our new results suggest that the effects of mild iron deficiency--which are easily correctable with supplements--can disrupt the solid foundation that is established by healthy mother/infant interactions."

The study, the first to focus on the effects of maternal iron deficiency on mother/child interactions, was conducted in South Africa. Sixty-four women were identified as mildly iron-deficient after childbirth, and 31 women were not iron-deficient. At 10 weeks after childbirth, the interactions of the women and their infants were captured on videotape. Half of the iron-deficient women were then given iron supplements. After nine months, all of the women (those receiving supplements and those not receiving them), as well as the iron-sufficient women, were again videotaped.

Analysis of the tapes showed that the mothering by the women who were iron-sufficient and those who received supplements differed from those who were mildly iron-deficient on measures of emotional availability. Observed in play interactions, the mildly iron-deficient mothers were less sensitive to the baby's cues. They also scored lower on giving their babies a chance to lead interactions. These mothers also interrupted the baby's play at inappropriate times more often, and they appeared bored or distant more frequently than the other mothers.

At nine months, the babies of the three groups of mothers also behaved differently. The babies of the mildly iron-deficient women were less responsive and less involved with their mothers. When moving away from a mildly iron-deficient mother, the baby depended less on the mother for reassurance.

Dr. Murray-Kolb concludes: "New mothers should be aware of their iron status which, we know now, affects the child as well as the mother. Iron deficiency is easy to correct and could be a big part of postpartum problems with mother/child interactions."

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