Is intravenous iron sucrose the treatment of choice for pregnant anemic women?
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravenous iron sucrose for treating anemia in pregnant women, focusing on hematological and clinical outcomes.
Results Summary
The study found convincing evidence that intravenous iron sucrose improves hemoglobin and serum ferritin levels in anemic pregnant women, but its effects on maternal and fetal outcomes remain unclear due to insufficient large-scale studies.
Population
Pregnant women with moderate to severe anemia in developing countries, particularly India.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
oral iron | no change | anemia treatment | anemic pregnant women | - | ineffectiveness | #1 |
intravenous iron sucrose | increase | anemia treatment | moderate to severely anemic pregnant women | - | promising therapy | #2 |
intravenous iron sucrose | increase | hemoglobin | anemic pregnant women | - | efficacy in improving | #3 |
intravenous iron sucrose | increase | serum ferritin | anemic pregnant women | - | efficacy in improving | #4 |
intravenous iron sucrose | no change | maternal outcomes | anemic pregnant women | - | effect on | #5 |
intravenous iron sucrose | no change | fetal outcomes | anemic pregnant women | - | effect on | #6 |
Anemia during pregnancy remains an important public health problem in developing countries like India. Anemia is the direct cause of 12-15% of maternal deaths. Iron deficiency is the commonest cause for anemia in the Indian subcontinent. Several preventive and therapeutic approaches are in practice. The available routes of iron supplementation are oral and intravenous. In spite of oral iron being least invasive, cheap and safe, the ineffectiveness of oral iron due to dietary inhibitors and poor compliance are well known. Intravenous iron sucrose can be a promising therapy for moderate to severely anemic pregnant women and has been in practice for quite some time in private and public health practices. In this article, we report the current evidence on the safety and efficacy of intravenous iron sucrose in anemic pregnant women on hematological and clinical outcomes. Though the evidence on its efficacy in improving hemoglobin and serum ferritin is convincing, its effect on maternal and fetal outcomes are unclear. This is primarily due to lack of well-designed and larger studies powered to detect difference in clinical outcomes. Hence, there is a need to gather evidence from a well-designed large randomized clinical trial conducted in a developing country. The results of such a study would feed into the national policy and would form the basis to frame guidelines for management of anemia in developing countries.