Safety and Efficacy of High Dose Intravenous Iron Sucrose for Treating Anaemia in Pregnancy

Iron deficiency anaemia is the most common deficiency in women of child bearing age throughout the world and is even more common in pregnancy, as it might be expected from the increasing iron requirement. Approximately 95% cases of anaemia in pregnancy involve iron deficiency, which has deliterious effects and increases morbidity and mortality in mother as well as in the fetus. The aim of the study was to compare the safety and efficacy of high dose intravenous iron sucrose (500mg) to multiple dose intravenous iron sucrose (200mg) in treatment of anaemia in pregnancy. A prospective study was conducted in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Narayana Medical College and Hospital, Nellore. Sixty pregnant women with Hb between 6-9 gm/dl attending antenatal clinic were recruited for the study after the cause of anaemia has been evaluated by appropriate laboratory investigations. These women were divided into 2 groups, group A (30 pregnant women) were treated with high dose intravenous iron sucrose therapy (500mg) and group B (30 pregnant women) were treated with multiple intravenous iron sucrose therapy after calculating the total dose requirement. The mean haemoglobin in group A and group B raised from 6.89±0.55 to 10.53±0.79 and 6.88±0.38 to 10.61±0.71 respectively 4 weeks after treatment. There was significant rise seen in haemoglobin and reticulocyte count in both the groups. Increased tolerable side effects were seen in group A when compared to group B (40% vs 23%) and increased patient’s satisfaction was seen in group A when compared to group B. Two to three hospital visits are required in group A and 6-8 visits in group B patients depending on the total dose requirement. High dose intravenous iron sucrose therapy for treatment of anaemia in pregnancy showed similar results to multiple dose intravenous iron sucrose therapy, thereby proving time saving, cost effective for the patients and decreasing the need for transfusion of blood and blood products.