Iron is an essential nutrient for brain development. During early human development, iron is required for multiple neurodevelopmental processes. To meet the iron requirements of a developing brain, active transfer of iron occurs across the placenta during the last trimester of pregnancy and therefore most term infants have iron replete status at birth. However, maternal iron deficiency during pregnancy, a global health problem, can negatively affect the fetal iron status. In addition, prematurity, maternal diabetes mellitus, preeclampsia, maternal smoking, and intrauterine growth restriction during pregnancy have also been associated with decreased iron transfer to the fetus often leading to in utero iron deficiency.