Comparison of the Anaemia and Transfusion Rates of Pregnant Women Treated with Intravenous versus Oral Iron in the Third Trimester.

Objective: To evaluate and compare the blood transfusion requirements during delivery in third-trimester pregnant women with iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) who were treated with intravenous (IV) ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) versus those treated with oral iron supplementation.

Study design: Comparative study. Place and Duration of the Study: Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkiye, from January 2017 to December 2022.

Methodology: Pregnant women with haemoglobin (Hb) levels <10 g/dL in their third trimester were included. One group (n = 50) received IV FCM, while the other group (n = 96) received oral iron therapy. Key outcome measures included Hb levels at delivery and the need for a postpartum blood transfusion. Inclusion criteria were third-trimester pregnancy with IDA, and exclusion criteria included haematological or chronic systemic diseases and high-risk pregnancies.

Results: The mean initial Hb levels in the third trimester of pregnancy in the FCM group and oral iron group were 8.31 ± 0.96 g/dL and 9.29 ± 1.20 g/dL, respectively (p <0.001). The mean Hb levels in the delivery room were 11.09 ± 1.38 and 9.44 ± 1.16 g/dL, respectively (p <0.001). The rates of postpartum erythrocyte transfusion requirement were 6% (n = 3) and 18.75% (n = 18), respectively (p = 0.037).

Conclusion: IV FCM administration to pregnant patients with IDA during the third trimester was found to be more effective than oral iron treatment in reducing blood transfusion rates.

Key words: Anaemia, Ferric carboxymaltose, Pregnancy, Iron deficiency, Intravenous iron.