Research uncovers what makes heart defects 'more likely' in newborns (2025)

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Babies born to mothers with low iron levels are far more likely to suffer heart defects, 'game-changing' research has revealed.

Scientists now estimate that anaemia in pregnant women may be to blame for about one in 20 congenital heart disease (CHD) cases in the UK.

The deadly condition is one of the most common types of birth defect – 13 babies are diagnosed with the chronic ailment every day in the UK.

Associate professor Duncan Sparrow, who led the British Heart Foundation study, said: 'Knowing that early maternal anaemia is so damaging could be a game-changer worldwide.

'Because iron deficiency is the root cause of many cases of anaemia, widespread iron supplementation for women – both when trying for a baby and when pregnant – could help prevent CHD in many newborns.'

The study analysed the data of 16,500 mothers and found the chances of having a child with CHD was 47 per cent greater in women with low iron levels in their first 100 days of pregnancy.

Nearly a quarter of pregnant Britons – and more than a third of pregnant women globally – are thought to have anaemia. Experts will now investigate whether taking iron supplements before and during pregnancy could help prevent heart defects.

It is already known that severe anaemia in late-stage pregnancy can cause low birth weight and premature delivery, for instance – but this is the first time the condition has been identified as an issue early on.

Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, clinical director at the British Heart Foundation and consultant cardiologist, said: 'Replenishing iron levels during early pregnancy, when the baby's heart is forming, could have significant benefit for a baby's lifelong heart health.

'Larger studies are needed to confirm the finding and determine which type of CHD may be linked to low iron.'

The study, published in the International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (BJOG), pointed out that the usual risk of having a child with CHD is around 1 per cent.

Iron deficiency during pregnancy is most often caused by a lack of iron in the diet, the NHS says. Levels can be boosted naturally by eating iron-rich foods such as red meat, red kidney beans, edamame beans, chickpeas, nuts and leafy green vegetables. Liver also contains a very high level of iron, but is not recommended for pregnant women.

Vitamin C can help the body absorb iron more effectively, too.

Aside from increasing birth risks, the symptoms of anaemia include feeling tired or weak more often than usual, dizziness, shortness of breath, pale skin and persistent headaches.

NHS

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