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Women who are deficient in iron during pregnancy cannot recover through diet alone, so additional oral supplements are usually required.
Oral iron supplements are anemia supplements for pregnant women that are effective, cheap, and safe to replace iron deficiency. Ferrous salts show only small differences between each other in the efficiency of iron absorption. Ferric salt is absorbed quite well. The recommended dose of elemental iron for the treatment of iron deficiency is 100-200mg daily. Higher doses should not be given because absorption will be impaired and side effects increase.
Ferrous salt consists of ferrous fumarate, ferrous sulphate, and ferrous gluconate. Oral iron supplements should be taken on an empty stomach to avoid impaired absorption, including factors that interfere with absorption of non-food heme iron.
Elemental iron dosage for iron deficiency anemia is 100-200mg per day (1A). Consumption of this supplement should be done on an empty stomach, 1 hour before meals, by providing additional sources of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) such as orange juice to maximize absorption. Antacids or other medicines should not be taken at the same time.
Indications for oral iron supplementation
In accordance with the guidelines for routine antenatal care, pregnant women are required to undergo a complete blood count at the doctor's visit and at 28 weeks of gestation. Thus, it is easier to determine iron supplementation in early pregnancy, although it depends on the system in place for checking blood test results and on appropriate follow-up efforts to avoid delay.
Women who have Hb levels <110g / l for up to 12 weeks or <105g / l over 12 weeks are advised to undergo iron therapy. Based on the findings of hemoglobinopathy, serum ferritin should be checked and the patient will be offered iron therapy if the ferritin level is <30 µg / l.
Treatment should be started as soon as possible. Secondary care referral should also be considered if there are significant symptoms and / or severe anemia (Hb <70g / l) or advanced pregnancy (> 34 weeks) or if there is no increase in Hb in 2 weeks.
Women with an Hb> 110g / l for up to 12 weeks of gestation and an Hb> 105g / l beyond 12 weeks were excluded from anemia. In non-anemic women (who are at risk of iron deficiency or women who have previously had anemia), multiple pregnancies, consecutive pregnancies with an interval of less than one year, and vegetarians, need serum ferritin. Other patients who should consider taking anemia supplements for pregnant women are pregnant adolescents and women who are at high risk of bleeding.
If ferritin shows <30 mg / l, 65 mg, elemental iron supplements should be given once a day. FBC (full blood count) and ferritin should be checked 8 weeks later.
General screening with routine use of serum ferritin is usually not recommended, as it is expensive and can be misused, leading to inaccurate blood count results. However, research should still be carried out on the local population, particularly the prevalence of “high risk” women.
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