A comparative study of intravenous iron sucrose versus oral iron therapy in iron deficiency anemia during postpartum period

Background: Anemia is the commonest major contributing factor in maternal mortality and morbidity in developing countries and according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, it contributes to 20% of maternal deaths. Anemia in pregnancy defined as haemoglobin level <11 gm/dl (7.45 mmol/L) and haematocrit less than 33% (WHO). Aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of oral iron ferrous sulphate therapy with intravenous iron sucrose therapy in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia during postpartum period.Methods: This was a prospective randomized comparative clinical trial single center study conducted on 200 postpartum women aged >18 years (after normal delivery or LSCS) within 10 days of delivery with Hb level more or equal to 6 gm/dl but less than 10 gm/dl were included in the study. This was a one-year study conducted during 1st December 2018 to 30th November 2019.Results: There was a significant increase in the hemoglobin level in both the groups i.e. in IV iron group, from 8.26±1.03 gm/dl on day 1 to 11.62±0.94 gm/dl on day 45 as compared to oral iron group, from 8.24±1.09 gm/dl on day 1 to 11.07±1.14 gm/dl on day 45; and serum ferritin level from 41.69±40.45 ng/ml on day 1 to 77.34±41.60 ng/ml on day 45 in IV iron group as compared to the oral iron group from 22.20±8.82 ng/ml on day 1 to 31.72±9.72 ng/ml on day 45. So, there was a rapid increase in both hemoglobin and serum ferritin levels in IV iron group as compared to the oral iron group.Conclusions: Intravenous iron sucrose administration increases the hemoglobin level and serum ferritin more rapidly in compare to the oral intake of ferrous sulphate in women with iron deficiency anemia in postpartum women in our study.