Hematological effects of prenatal iron supplementation on mothers and their infants.

Infants born to mothers who served an subjects of an iron supplementation study among pregnant women were followed-up for one year to assess the benefits derived by the infants from the iron treatment of the mothers. Hemoglobin and hematocrit levels at one to three months after birth were not statistically different between infants of iron-treated and untreated mothers. Infants aged six to twelve months who have not received any dietary iron supplement and were born from iron-treated mothers tended to have slightly higher hemoglobin levels than infants born to mothers not treated with iron during pregnancy but differences were not statistically significant. Mean hemoglobin levels for the infants aged six to twelve months who received daily iron supplement were significantly higher compared to hemoglobin levels of infants with either no iron or with intermittent iron supplement. Initial hemoglobin and hematocrit levels of pregnant mothers before supplementation and at one month postpartum, which were included in the report, showed higher gains in hemoglobin levels for the anemic mothers treated with iron compared to the gain found for the placebo group.

Iron supplementation studies among pregnant women.

The effect of iron supplementation alone or in combination with ascorbic acid as a preventive and or corrective measure against anemia were tested using pregnant women seeking pre-natal consultation at various health centers in Greater Manila Area. One tablet containing 65 mg iron alone or in combination with ascorbic acid per day during a supplementation period which varied from 16.5 to 17.8 weeks maintained initial hemoglobin and hematocrit levels in non-anemic women. Three tablets of the same iron preparation (total of 195 mg iron) daily resulted in significant increases in hemoglobin and hematocrit in anemic women. Ascorbic acid had no apparent beneficial effect. Considering the positive response to iron treatment, it is recommended that a nationwide program of iron supplementation of pregnant Filipinos be undertaken.