Oral and intravenous iron therapy for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia during antenatal and postnatal period: An expert consensus

• Author Details:   
• Sanjay Gupte
• Rishma Pai Dhillon
• Surekha Tayade
• Atul Ganatra
• Sheela Mane
• Anahita Chauhan
• Egbert Saldhana
• Charmila Ayyavoo
• Vanita Raut
• Parikshit Tank ^*
• Shailesh Kore
• Siddhi Kore
• Sandhya Saharan

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Background: Approximately 52.2% of pregnant women between the ages of 15 and 49 in India suffer from anaemia.

Materials and Methods: Leading experts in obstetrics met to arrive at a consensus on the treatment of Iron deficiency (ID) and IDA during pregnancy.

Results & Conclusion: All patients with anemia should be screened for hemoglobinopathies, elemental iron was recommended for prophylaxis at 30 to 60 mg/day and for treatment, experts recommended 60 mg twice daily while others suggested 100 mg/day with vitamin-C. Oral iron is recommended in patients with mild anemia with vitamin C and parenteral iron in moderate or severe anemia. The recommendation was to administer a minimum of 1000 mg of intravenous iron, in addition to oral iron, for the treatment of moderate anaemia during the second trimester. If there is no improvement with oral iron, it is advisable to resort to parenteral iron. During the third trimester, it is recommended to administer intravenous iron to patients with moderate or severe anaemia. Prior to this, it is important to conduct a serum ferritin test. Ferrous ascorbate is most preferred oral iron. For parenteral iron, ferric carboxymaltose should be preferred. Blood transfusion is recommended in pregnant women of <34>34 weeks of gestation and Hb <7>

Keywords: Iron de?ciency anemia (IDA), Thalassemia major (TM), Sickle cell hemoglobin (HbS).