Research paper
Efficacy and tolerability of low-dose iron supplements during pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial.
Study answer
What this study found
Low-dose iron supplementation was effective and well tolerated. At the end of pregnancy, iron-deficiency anemia was lower in the iron group than in placebo, 6/198 (3%) versus 20/185 (11%), RR 0.28; 95% CI 0.12, 0.68, and iron deficiency was also lower, 65/186 (35%) versus 102/176 (58%), RR 0.60; 95% CI 0.48, 0.76. Hemoglobin and ferritin were higher with iron at delivery, with no significant worsening of gastrointestinal symptoms, serum zinc, SF-36 health concepts, or infant birth outcomes. Benefits persisted postpartum for iron deficiency, with 31/190 versus 51/177 at 6 months postpartum,…
- Study & population
- Randomized, placebo-controlled trial in pregnant women in Adelaide, South Australia, including singleton and twin pregnancies.
- Intervention
- Pregnant participants in the active arm received ferrous sulfate tablets providing 20 mg elemental iron orally once daily between meals from 20 weeks of gestation until delivery.
- Key limitation
- Some biomarker and tolerability analyses were based on subsets with missing data, which reduces precision.
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Open PDFOriginal abstract
BACKGROUND Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is common in pregnant women, but previous trials aimed at preventing IDA used high-dose iron supplements that are known to cause gastrointestinal side effects. OBJECTIVE The objective was to assess the effect o…