Efficacy and safety of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose for moderate to severe iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy: A prospective observational study

Background:The most prevalent nutritional deficiency during pregnancy is iron deficiency anaemia, which greatly increases the morbidity of both the mother and the foetus. In moderate to severe cases, conventional oral iron therapy is not very successful; parenteral iron solutions can help restore iron reserves quickly. In this study, pregnant and postpartum women with moderate to severe iron deficiency anaemia were assessed for the safety and effectiveness of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose. Methods:From September 2020 to November 2021, a prospective observational study was carried out in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Dr. D. Y. Patil Hospital, Navi Mumbai. Following informed consent and eligibility evaluation, 100 consecutive pregnant women (16-36 weeks gestation) and postpartum women with confirmed iron deficiency anaemia (haemoglobin 6-9 g/dL) were enrolled. Based on their estimated iron deficiency, each participant got a single intravenous dosage of ferric carboxymaltose. At baseline and three weeks following infusion, haemoglobin levels were assessed. Descriptive data and a comparison of mean haemoglobin change were included in the statistical analysis; a p-value