Following an initial increase in red blood cell counts following birth, a physiological anemia is seen in newborns for the first 6 to 10 weeks of life.Which of the following may be responsible for this physiological anemia?

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Physiological anemia in the newborn results from a combination of shorter fetal red blood cell life (T₁/₂ = 60 to 80 days) and blunted erythropoietin production.In full-term neonates, this anemia is asymptomatic, but it may be important in preterm neonates.The reduced half-life of fetal erythrocytes results from a decline during the switch from gamma to beta chains in hemoglobin.The reduced production of erythropoietin is a result of the immaturity of the newborn's kidneys.

Following an Initial Increase in Red Blood Cell Counts Following