Objective: To determine if there is a relationship between milk feeding and iron
deficiency anemia ,and to determine the association between anemia and infant birth order,
time of introduction solid foods, socioeconomic state , Birth weight less th
an 3000 gram .
Methods: A total of 300 children between 6 and 24 months old were attended at
Alassad and TISHREEN Hospitals were enrolled in the Study during the period July
2015-July 2016,a patient –case study ,patient definition:an infant with anemia ,case
definition:an infant without anemia we calculated the odd ratio with confidence intervals
95%,we used chi-square and TStudent test.
Results: by studying the relationship between anemia and milk feeding we found the
odd ratio=5.6,it means that the risk to have anemia is 6 times more in infants consumping
breast milk.by using chi-square test to study the relationship between anemia and both of
infant order,socioeconomic state,the resuts were :there is no association between birth
order and anemia but there is a big association between anemia and socioeconomic
state.the result of studying the relationship between taking iron complemnts and anemia
:the risk of anemia is 2 times more in infants who do not take iron ccomplemnts.there was
no relationship between introducing solid foods before the age 6 months and having
anemia .there was no association between low birth weight infants and having anemia.
