Oral iron versus intravenous iron therapy in moderate iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy

Abstract

Background: In India prevalence of anemia in pregnancy is 65-75 %. Dietary iron deficiency is responsible for 90-95% of these cases, which is a preventable condition. In India since 1970 oral IFA, through national programme is used to control anemia in pregnancy. But different studies show superiority of IV iron sucrose over oral IFA in improving Hb level in anemia cases. Objectives: This study has taken up to compare efficacy of oral IFA and IV iron sucrose in moderate anemia in pregnancy. Methods: This comparative prospective study was carried out from July 2021 to June 2022 in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology, Assam Medical College & Hospital, Dibrugarh. 140 pregnant women with moderate iron deficiency anemia were selected following thorough investigations between 14th weeks to 28th weeks of gestation. The cases were divided into two groups by randomized method with 70 patients in each group. Hb measured after 4 weeks of intravenous and oral iron therapy. Results: In this study the mean rise of haemoglobin after 4 weeks in IV iron group were 1.83 gm/dl (22.99% increase from baseline) (p <0.001) and in oral iron group were 1.2 gm/dl (14.99 % increase from baseline) (p <0.001). The mean rise of ferritin after 4 weeks were 14.58 mcg/l (87.72 % increase from baseline) (p <0.001) in IV group and 9.69mcg/l in oral group (63.25 % increase from baseline) (p <0.001). Conclusion: Intravenous iron sucrose is safe, highly effective, practical and has better compliance for the treatment of moderate anemia in pregnancy. It induces a quick increase in haemoglobin as well as quicker replenishment of iron stores. It eliminates the need for blood transfusions in moderate anemia in later part of pregnancy.

Keywords

• iron deficiency anemia
• intravenous iron
• oral iron