Daily oral iron supplementation during pregnancy

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Maternal and Infant Health
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Iron and folic acid are recommended during pregnancy for anemia prevention.
• Supplementation may also improve maternal, pregnancy, and infant outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effects of daily oral iron supplementation during pregnancy.
• To assess iron alone, or combined with folic acid or other vitamins/minerals, as an antenatal care intervention.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials.
• Searched multiple databases including Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Trials Registry, MEDLINE, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov.
• Assessed trial eligibility, risk of bias, and data extraction using the GRADE approach.

Main Results:

• Iron supplementation likely reduces maternal anemia and iron deficiency at term (moderate to low certainty evidence).
• Iron supplementation may reduce infants born with low birthweight (moderate certainty evidence).
• Evidence for other maternal and infant outcomes, including adverse effects and neonatal outcomes, is uncertain or shows little difference.

Conclusions:

• Daily oral iron supplementation in pregnancy appears beneficial for reducing maternal anemia and iron deficiency.
• Further research is required to clarify the impact of iron supplementation on a broader range of maternal and infant health outcomes.
• The role of iron and folic acid supplementation in antenatal care warrants continued investigation.