Comparison of the effectiveness of ferrous ascorbate with ferrous sulphate in improving haemoglobin percentage among ante-natal mothers in rural field practice area of a medical college.

BACKGROUND

Anaemia in pregnancy is defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a haemoglobin concentration of less than 11 g/dl in venous blood. The prevalence of anaemia among ante-natal mothers in India is 50.3%[3]. The government of India supplies ferrous sulphate for prophylaxis and treatment of anaemia among ante-natal mothers for free through the reproductive maternal neonatal and child health + adolescent (RMNCH+A) programme. However, patient compliance is poor due to gastrointestinal disturbances (of all registered pregnancies, less than 1/3 consumed a full course of ferrous sulphate). Previous studies in different settings have shown increased compliance and higher mean haemoglobin levels with ferrous ascorbate, which is more affordable than other commercially available compounds.

OBJECTIVE

Hence, the current study was done to compare the effectiveness of ferrous ascorbate with ferrous sulphate in improving haemoglobin percentage among ante-natal mothers in a rural field practice area of a medical college.

METHODS

An interventional community-based study was conducted in the rural field practice area of Andhra Medical College. The study was done among 76 registered (registered at Rural Primary Health Centre Simhachalam) ante-natal mothers in gestational age 13-17 weeks with haemoglobin concentration of 7-10.9 g/dl (mild to moderate anaemia) after taking informed consent. The study was performed for two years. Ante-natal mothers who were registered but unavailable during the study period, with a medical history of haematological disorders, chronic cardiac and kidney diseases, known or suspected to have sensitivity to iron compounds, with known thyroid dysfunction or mental illness were excluded from the study.

RESULTS

There was a rise in haemoglobin among the entire study population, which was statistically significant ( < 0.0001). There was a higher rise in haemoglobin among the antenatal women who took ferrous ascorbate than among those who took ferrous sulphate (mean difference = 0.344 gm/dl) after 12 weeks of follow-up, which was statistically significant ( = 0.014).

CONCLUSION

The study compared the effectiveness of ferrous ascorbate with ferrous sulphate in improving haemoglobin percentage among antenatal mothers in a medical college's rural field practice area. There was a significant rise in haemoglobin percentage among the study group, which was on ferrous ascorbate with better compliance and fewer gastrointestinal side effects.