Background: Iron deficiency anaemia is a common cause of nutritional deficiency anaemia among the women of child bearing age in both developed and developing countries. Post partum anaemia is very common and it affects 5-50% of parturients.
Objectives: The objectives of this study is to compare the effects of oral iron and intravenous (i.v) Ferric Carboxymaltose (FCM) injection by rise in haemoglobin and other haematological parameters level in post partum anaemia and compare any major and minor drug effects involved with the therapy.
Materials And Methods: It was a 2 year prospective study on post partum anaemic patients from January 2018 to December 2019 at CSS Hospital, Kolkata. Total 200 post partum women with haemoglobin (7-10 g/dl) and peripheral smear showing microcytic hypochromic anaemia on the 2nd post partum day were randomised in 1:1 ratio to receive either oral iron or FCM .Oral iron was given in the dose of 65 mg elemental iron thrice daily and followed up on day 7 and day 42 with haemoglobin, haematocrit, serum ferritin and red cell indices.
Results: Anaemia is one of the most common causes of morbidity affecting post partum women. The prevalence of post partum iron deficiency anaemia calculated in this study was about 65-70%. Majority of such women are young and their age lies between 20-25 years. The severity of anaemia increases with degree of parity and illiteracy. Demographic characteristic are directly related with the degree of anaemia.FCM causes prompt restoration of iron stores than oral iron as shown by increase in serum ferritin level on 7th and 42nd day. The rise in all the red cell indices or parameters (MCV, MCHC, MCH, haematocrit and reticulocyte count are significantly more in the FCM group than the oral iron group (p<0.05). Besides the total side effects were higher with oral group than iv FCM group.
Conclusion: IV FCM is better option in early restoration of Hb% level and maintenance of iron stores within a short span of time.
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2022: 6.012
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