Iron is an essential mineral that participates in oxygen transport, DNA synthesis and repair, and as a cofactor for various cellular processes. Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide. Due to blood volume expansion and demands from the fetal-placental unit, pregnant women are one of the populations most at risk of developing iron deficiency. Iron deficiency during pregnancy poses major health concerns for offspring, including intrauterine growth restriction and long-term health complications. Although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear, maternal iron deficiency may indirectly impair fetal growth through changes in the structure and function of the placenta. Since the placenta forms the interface between mother and baby, understanding how the placenta changes in iron deficiency may yield new diagnostic indices of fetal stress in affected pregnancies, thereby leading to earlier interventions and improved fetal outcomes. In this review, we compile current data on the changes in placental development and function that occur under conditions of maternal iron deficiency, and discuss challenges and perspectives on managing the high incidence of iron deficiency in pregnant women.

中文翻译：

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母体铁稳态：对胎盘发育和功能的影响

铁是参与氧气运输、DNA 合成和修复的必需矿物质，也是各种细胞过程的辅助因子。缺铁是全世界最常见的营养缺乏症。由于血容量增加和胎儿-胎盘单位的需求，孕妇是最容易患缺铁的人群之一。怀孕期间缺铁会给后代带来重大的健康问题，包括宫内生长受限和长期健康并发症。虽然潜在的机制仍不清楚，但母体缺铁可能通过改变胎盘的结构和功能间接损害胎儿的生长。由于胎盘是母婴之间的界面，了解缺铁时胎盘的变化如何产生受影响妊娠中胎儿压力的新诊断指标，从而导致早期干预和改善胎儿结局。在这篇综述中，我们汇总了有关母体缺铁条件下胎盘发育和功能变化的当前数据，并讨论了管理孕妇缺铁高发的挑战和观点。