In this study, hemoglobin, serum ferritin, serum transferrin, transferrin saturation, serum iron and total iron-binding capacity were measured in venous blood taken from 52 primiparous mothers approximately one hour before delivery and in cord blood from their newborns after birth. The mean maternal serum ferritin level was 12.9 +/- 8.9 ng/ml. This value was lower than that of healthy women. The mean serum ferritin level of cord blood was 103.0 +/- 54.1 ng/ml. While we found no correlation between maternal and cord blood hemoglobin values, we observed a significant positive correlation between serum ferritin values in maternal and cord blood. Only the serum ferritin levels of mothers whose iron stores had been depleted were significantly reflected in their babies' levels (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in other parameters (p > 0.05). It is concluded that serum ferritin levels, which are affected earlier than hemoglobin levels, should be measured for the diagnosis of occult iron deficiency.