Intravenous Iron Sucrose Versus Oral Ferrous Fumarate for the Treatment of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Pregnant Women

The aim of the current study was comparison of the effectiveness of intravenous iron sucrose versus oral ferrous fumarate for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy.

This is a prospective randomized clinical trial enrolling 100 pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia who visited the Al-diwaniya Educational Hospital for maternity and children from October 2022 to July 2023 whose ferritin level was less than 15 ng/ml and Hb level was between 70-10.9g/L. They were treated with either intravenous iron sucrose or oral ferrous fumarate for four weeks.  Formerly, patients were allocated into two groups. The patients in the group I received ferrous fumarate pills, each enclosed with elemental Iron 100 mg.  Group II got 100 ml of 0.9% NaCl containing a dose of iron sucrose dissolved in it and calculated by a specific equation. After four weeks, serum ferritin and hemoglobin levels were assessed, and the adverse effects were also monitored.

Comparing hemoglobin levels produces a substantial pre- and post-treatment difference (P=0.001). Serum Ferritin Level harvest significant differences pre- and post-treatment (P=0.001). The post-treatment comparison of the two groups showed a significant difference in each group (P= 0.001).

Maternal iron reserves are more effectively increased by intravenous ferrous sucrose than by oral ferrous fumarate.