A Comparative Study on efficacy and safety of intravenous iron sucrose and intramuscular iron sorbitol in pregnancy anaemia

Iron deficiency is a leading cause of anaemia in pregnancy. The present study aimed to compare the efficacy of intramuscular and intravenous iron therapy in improving iron deficiency anaemia in pregnancy and restoring iron stores, compare the obstetric outcome in the two groups and evaluate the safety of intravenous iron sucrose. This was a prospective study, where 200 anemic antenatal women with hemoglobin 5-9 g%, and serum ferritin <15 μg/l, were randomized into two groups. In group A (n=100), iron sucrose was given in divided doses of 200 mg twice weekly by slow intravenous infusion and Group B(n=100) received iron sorbitol. Primary outcome measure was treatment efficacy, assessed by measurement of hemoglobin and red blood cell indices on 2, 4wks and at delivery, and of ferritin at delivery. Any side-effects of treatment and the neonatal outcome were studied as secondary outcome measures. At the beginning, mean Hb was 7.42 ± 0.72 g% in group A, and 7.63+0.42 g% in group B. The mean Hb after tretmet was 11.52+0.65g% and10.56+0.52g% respectively in group A and group B. Serum ferritin level also increased in both groups. There was a statistically significant difference in increase of hemoglobin levels and ferritin levels between the two groups after treatment. The adverse effects from iron treatment were mild in both groups. Neonatal outcome was comparable in the two groups. It is concluded that intravenous administration of iron sucrose was a safe treatment for correction of anaemia in pregnancy, without serious side-effects.