Comparison of the Anaemia and Transfusion Rates of Pregnant Women Treated with Intravenous <em>versus</em> Oral Iron in the Third Trimester.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate and compare the blood transfusion requirements during delivery in third-trimester pregnant women with iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) who were treated with intravenous (IV) ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) versus those treated with oral iron supplementation.

STUDY DESIGN

Comparative study. Place and Duration of the Study: Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkiye, from January 2017 to December 2022.

METHODOLOGY

Pregnant women with haemoglobin (Hb) levels <10 g/dL in their third trimester were included. One group (n = 50) received IV FCM, while the other group (n = 96) received oral iron therapy. Key outcome measures included Hb levels at delivery and the need for a postpartum blood transfusion. Inclusion criteria were third-trimester pregnancy with IDA, and exclusion criteria included haematological or chronic systemic diseases and high-risk pregnancies.

RESULTS

The mean initial Hb levels in the third trimester of pregnancy in the FCM group and oral iron group were 8.31 ± 0.96 g/dL and 9.29 ± 1.20 g/dL, respectively (p <0.001). The mean Hb levels in the delivery room were 11.09 ± 1.38 and 9.44 ± 1.16 g/dL, respectively (p <0.001). The rates of postpartum erythrocyte transfusion requirement were 6% (n = 3) and 18.75% (n = 18), respectively (p = 0.037).

CONCLUSION

IV FCM administration to pregnant patients with IDA during the third trimester was found to be more effective than oral iron treatment in reducing blood transfusion rates.

KEY WORDS

Anaemia, Ferric carboxymaltose, Pregnancy, Iron deficiency, Intravenous iron.