I.V. iron treats anaemia of pregnancy

For women with anaemia of pregnancy related to iron deficiency and requiring treatment, intravenously administered iron increases haemoglobin faster and more effectively than iron pills. Because oral iron replacement is generally effective, safe, and cheap, it is the first choice for treatment for iron deficiency anaemia. However, it seems that intravenous iron sucrose is a safe and effective alternative to oral iron in treatment of iron deficiency anaemia of pregnancy. Normal haemoglobin levels for a woman are about 12-14 units. Researchers from the Ankara Etlik Maternity and Women's Health Teaching Hospital, Turkey, treated 90 pregnant women with haemoglobin levels between 8 and 10.5 units, using either oral iron complex or I.V. iron sucrose. Average haemoglobin and iron stores throughout the treatment were significantly higher in the intravenously administered iron group than in the orally administered iron group. Haemoglobin concentration increased significantly faster in the I.V. group compared with the oral group, and a significantly greater number of women in the I.V. group achieved the haemoglobin target after 4 weeks of treatment and at delivery. Both treatments were well tolerated with no serious adverse drug reactions reported. I.V. iron restores blood stores more rapidly and a prompt increase in haemoglobin may be achieved. Moreover, it may reduce the need for blood transfusion in pregnant women who have severe anaemia near term. They conclude, therefore, that intravenously administered iron may be considered an alternative to oral iron in the treatment of pregnant women with severe iron deficiency anaemia during the third trimester.