Anemia is a general term used to describe a variety of conditions characterized by low amounts of functioning red blood cells. A particular form of anemia, called physiologic anemia, commonly appears in both full-term and premature newborn infants. However, this type of anemia is a normal aspect of birth and early life, and does not reflect a shortage of vitamin B12 or any other nutrient.
Basics
The red blood cells in your body contain a protein called hemoglobin, which you rely on to transport oxygen through your bloodstream. You can develop the various forms of anemia if your body produces too few red blood cells, if your body destroys too many red blood cells or if you experience significant blood loss. Potential underlying causes for these problems include deficiencies of vitamins or other nutrients, genetic predisposition, exposure to a toxin or drug, and cancer.
Physiologic Anemia
Before babies are born, their blood contains relatively high levels of hemoglobin-containing red blood cells. This high hemoglobin content helps developing children maintain a steady oxygen supply within the womb. After birth, however, children have a much greater access to oxygen and no longer need to maintain elevated red blood cell levels. Over a period of roughly two to three months, newborns experience a natural decrease in red blood cell production, which is the hallmark of physiologic anemia. Premature infants have lower red blood cell production and shorter red blood cell lifespans than full-term infants; for these reasons, physiologic anemia in these children is both more rapid and more pronounced.
Natural Resolution
After the drop associated with physiologic anemia, red blood cell counts in newborns remain stable for several weeks, according to the "Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals." Between the ages of roughly four and six months, red blood cell levels rise slowly and reach the normal level associated with the remainder of infancy. Because physiologic anemia is a natural, temporary event, it typically requires no more than a brief, confirming diagnosis by your child's doctor. After this diagnosis, no treatment is required.
Vitamin B12 Deficiency Anemia
You or your infant can develop anemia as a result of reduced levels of vitamin B12, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's MedlinePlus reports. This type of the disorder is known as vitamin B12 deficiency anemia. Potential causes of insufficient levels of this vitamin include a poor diet during pregnancy, poor nutrition in your infant and consumption of a strictly vegetarian diet. A number of other conditions or circumstances can stop you from properly absorbing the B12 content of your diet: surgical procedures on your small intestine or stomach, habitual consumption of antacids or other heartburn remedies, celiac disease, Crohn's disease, chronic alcoholism and another type of anemia called pernicious anemia.
