Growth and Development of Negro Infants

Abstract

Introduction Although fetal hemoglobin has been a frequent subject of study in various hematologic disorders, particularly in congenital hemolytic anemias, there have been relatively few investigations of fetal hemoglobin in the normal infant. Only a small group of Negro infants, all below six months of age, have been studied with respect to the concentrations and variations of hemoglobin F.^1,2 The purpose of this project was, therefore, (1) to investigate a larger group of Negro infants in order to determine the levels of fetal hemoglobin concentration in the normal infant during the first two years of life and (2) to study the course of the replacement of hemoglobin F by hemoglobin A during this age period. We also included determinations of fetal hemoglobin concentrations in infants with sickle cell anemia and sickle cell trait (as compared to those of nonsickling infants) since it has been reported that persistence of fetal