Birth Outcomes Similar With Intermittent Vs Daily Iron Supplementation

Intermittent iron supplementation during pregnancy provided similar outcomes for both mother and infant as did daily iron supplementation, and was associated with fewer side effects for mothers, reported Juan Pablo Peña-Rosas, MD, PhD, of the WHO and colleagues.  

In mothers taking iron supplements intermittently, the risk of anemia was similar to that in mothers taking iron supplments daily, and the risk of developing high hemoglobin levels during the second and third trimester was lower.

Using data collected from 4072 women who participated in 1 of 18 trials in 13 countries, researchers evaluated the effects of intervention with iron alone, iron and other vitamins and minerals, and iron plus folic acid in both intermittent and daily doses. 

Infants showed no significantly different outcomes in birth weight or the risk of premature birth between the groups.  While mothers in the intermittent group were no less likely to have anemia at term, they were less likelyto report side effects, such as constipation and nausea, than the mothers receiving iron supplements daily.

"Although the evidence is limited and the quality of the trials was low or very low," researchers concluded, "intermittent may be a feasible alternative to daily iron supplementation among those pregnant women who are not anemic and have adequate antenatal care."

-Michael Potts