Someone posted yesterday about a premature baby with a hemoglobin of 10.4.
I think the baby was now about a month old--sorry, I deleted the original
post.  This level would probably be ok, though a bit low, for a healthy,
full-term baby.  However, most of the baby's iron stores are laid down in
the last few weeks of pregnancy.  A preterm infant has lower iron stores.
Babies' hemoglobins normally decline during the first year reaching a
nadir between 9 months and a year.  So while the 10.4 is not a dangerous
level, the fact that this baby has less total body iron stores than a
full-term infant makes it more likely that the baby will be significantly
anemic within a few months.  Anemia can affect growth and intellectual
development.  I'd certainly consider iron supplementation for this baby or
at a minimum follow the hemoglobin closely and supplement if it falls
below 10.

--
Anne Montgomery, M.D.
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St.Peter Hospital Family Practice Residency
Olympia, WA