Iron supplementation in pregnant Danish women revisited: Effects on prepartum and postpartum iron deficiency, anemia, serum erythropoietin; including iron status, erythropoietin and anthropometrics in newborns. A randomized, placebo-controlled study.
Study Goal
To assess the effects of daily iron supplementation (66 mg elemental iron as ferrous fumarate) on iron status markers during normal pregnancies.
Results Summary
Iron supplementation significantly improved hemoglobin, serum ferritin, and transferrin saturation, reducing iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia rates compared to placebo. It also positively influenced newborns' iron status, with higher cord serum ferritin levels in the iron group.
Population
119 pregnant women (62 iron-treated, 57 placebo-treated) and their newborns.
Effective Dosage
66 mg elemental iron daily as ferrous fumarate.
Duration
From 14-18 weeks of gestation to 8 weeks postpartum.
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
iron supplementation, 66 mg elemental iron daily as ferrous fumarate | increase | hemoglobin (Hb) | the iron group | - | had higher | #1 |
iron supplementation, 66 mg elemental iron daily as ferrous fumarate | increase | serum (S)-ferritin | the iron group | - | had higher | #2 |
iron supplementation, 66 mg elemental iron daily as ferrous fumarate | increase | S-transferrin saturation percentage (TSAT) | the iron group | - | had higher | #3 |
iron supplementation, 66 mg elemental iron daily as ferrous fumarate | decrease | S-erythropoietin (S-EPO) levels | the iron group | - | had lower | #4 |
iron supplementation, 66 mg elemental iron daily as ferrous fumarate | decrease | iron deficiency (ID) | the iron group | 11% | had a low frequency of | #5 |
iron supplementation, 66 mg elemental iron daily as ferrous fumarate | decrease | iron deficiency anemia (IDA) | the iron group | 0% | had a low frequency of | #6 |
iron supplementation, 66 mg elemental iron daily as ferrous fumarate | decrease | iron deficiency (ID) | the iron group | 1.6% | had a low frequency of | #7 |
iron supplementation, 66 mg elemental iron daily as ferrous fumarate | decrease | iron deficiency anemia (IDA) | the iron group | 1.6% | had a low frequency of | #8 |
iron supplementation, 66 mg elemental iron daily as ferrous fumarate | increase | cord S-ferritin levels | newborns to iron treated mothers | - | had higher | #9 |
iron supplementation, 66 mg elemental iron daily as ferrous fumarate | no change | the length of gestation | - | - | had no impact on | #10 |
iron supplementation, 66 mg elemental iron daily as ferrous fumarate | no change | placental weight | - | - | had no impact on | #11 |
iron supplementation, 66 mg elemental iron daily as ferrous fumarate | no change | newborns birth weight | - | - | had no impact on | #12 |
- | neutral | newborns cord S-EPO values | Mothers prepartum S-EPO values | - | were correlated to | #13 |
- | increase | cord S-ferritin levels | Newborn girls | - | had higher | #14 |
- | neutral | birth weight | mothers' body weight | - | was correlated with | #15 |
- | neutral | birth weight | length of gestation | - | was correlated with | #16 |
- | neutral | birth weight | placental weight | - | was correlated with | #17 |
OBJECTIVE: To assess effects of iron supplementation, 66 mg elemental iron daily as ferrous fumarate, on iron status markers during normal pregnancies. METHODS: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 119 women (62 iron-, 57 placebo -treated) and their newborns. Hemoglobin (Hb), serum (S)-ferritin, S-transferrin saturation percentage (TSAT) and S-erythropoietin (S-EPO) were measured at 14-18, 24-27 weeks of gestation, prepartum, 1 and 8 weeks postpartum. RESULT: From 24-27 weeks gestation to 8 weeks postpartum, the iron group had higher Hb, S-ferritin and TSAT than the placebo group; prepartum, 11% had iron deficiency (ID) and 0% iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in the iron group, vs 60% and 18% in the placebo group; 8 weeks postpartum 1.6% in the iron group had ID and 1.6% IDA vs 14% and 7% in the placebo group. S-EPO levels in the iron group were lower than in the placebo group (p < 0.001). Mothers prepartum S-EPO values were correlated to newborns cord S-EPO values (p < 0.001). Newborns to iron treated mothers had higher cord S-ferritin levels than those to placebo treated mothers (p = 0.02). Newborn girls had higher cord S-ferritin levels than boys (p < 0.01). There was no impact of iron supplementation on the length of gestation, placental weight, or newborns birth weight. Birth weight was correlated only with mothers' body weight, length of gestation and placental weight. CONCLUSION: Iron supplementation had a "positive" impact on iron status and Hb both during pregnancy and postpartum, with a low frequency of ID/IDA and also a "positive" influence on newborns iron status.