Effect of iron supplementation on the iron status and the pregnancy outcome in pregnant women in Greece - a prospective study

Iron deficiency in pregnancy is associated with consequences for mother and baby; therefore, along with dietary advice, iron supplementation is commonly prescribed. Its effectiveness was investigated in 263 women. Hematocrit (Hct) and hemoglobin (Hb) were measured bimonthly. On the 12th - 15th week of gestation, 55 women were iron deficient (ID) (Hct%) and 205 were iron adequate (IA) (Hct32%) and were advised to receive 200 or 100 mg iron daily. Women from the ID group remained iron deficient until the end of gestation, while women from the IA group preserved adequate levels of iron. Area of residence or employment did not affect the results. The iron status of the mother did not affect the gestation period or the birth weight of the newborn. These results suggest that, in this group, high iron supplementation was not able to correct iron deficiency during pregnancy and highlights the importance of iron adequacy and proper nutrition before entering pregnancy.