Nutrition in the First 1,000 Days: Iron
Driving Early Development

Iron plays a critical role in early neurodevelopment in the first 1,000 days and is an essential micronutrient during pregnancy, especially in the last trimester. Michael K. Georgieff, MD, discusses how early detection for at-risk infants is crucial in long-term consequences for brain health, and that proper screening for maternal iron deficiency is critical. Dr. Georgieff details how to prevent and treat iron deficiency, the benefits of iron supplements, as well as recommended daily intake of iron-fortified formula for both formula-fed and breastfed infants.

The overarching goal of this collection is to improve the clinician’s ability to guide mothers and children toward nutrition that supports optimal growth and development during the first 1,000 days.

• Profile

  Michael K. Georgieff, MD

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  Michael K. Georgieff, MD, is the Martin Lenz Harrison Land Grant Chair in Pediatrics and a Professor of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Developmental psychology at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis. He is Director of the Center for Neurobehavioral Development at the University of Minnesota.

  Dr. Georgieff received his medical degree from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, and completed his internship and residency at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He was awarded fellowships in neonatology by Children’s Hospital and the University of Minnesota Medical School.

  The focus of Dr. Georgieff’s research is on fetal-neonatal nutrition and brain development, specifically the effect of early life iron nutrition and neurocognitive function. For the past 25 years, his research has been continuously funded in this field by the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Georgieff’s clinical interests include iron and infant development, and maternal-fetal medicine.

  Dr. Georgieff is the recipient of numerous honors and awards for research, teaching, and public service including the Samuel J. Fomon Nutrition Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics. He is an advisor on nutrition and early childhood development to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Institutes of Health, and UNICEF, and he is a frequently invited speaker at national and international conferences. Dr. Georgieff has published more than 250 scientific articles, and he is a reviewer for a number of prestigious medical journals including Pediatrics, the Journal of Pediatrics, and the New England Journal of Medicine.

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  Michael K. Georgieff, MD

  Martin Lenz Harrison Land Grant Chair
  Professor of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Developmental Psychology
  Executive Vice Chair of the Department of Pediatrics
  Director of the Center for Neurobehavioral Development
  University of Minnesota
  Minneapolis, Minnesota