A Study On Effectiveness Of Iron Supplementation In Improving Haemoglobin Levels Among Pregnant And Non-Pregnant Women

Abstract

Iron deficiency anaemia is a major concern among women of reproductive age and may be intensified during pregnancy because of increased maternal and foetal iron requirements. This prospective observational study evaluated iron supplementation among pregnant and non-pregnant women attending KIMS Hospital, Secunderabad. A total of 121 women aged 18–49 years were included, comprising 58 pregnant (47.9%) and 63 non-pregnant (52.1%) participants receiving prescribed oral iron therapy. Clinical characteristics, haemoglobin response, medication use, adherence, pregnancy trimester, symptoms, red-cell indices, and anaemia severity were recorded over a six-month study period. The thesis reported mean haemoglobin improvement from 9.4 to 11.8 g/dL in pregnant women and from 8.9 to 11.5 g/dL in non-pregnant women. Across the full cohort, 39.7% had a haemoglobin rise greater than 1.5 g/dL and 43.0% had a rise of 1.0–1.5 g/dL. High medication adherence was reported in 73.6% of participants. Livo-gen was the most frequently recorded formulation (25.6%), followed by Dex-orange (20.7%). Pregnancy status was not associated with anaemia severity in the reported chi-square analysis (χ²=1.15, p=0.563), whereas MCV-based morphology was reported as associated with severity (χ²=43.2, p<0.001). The findings support continued haemoglobin monitoring, adherence counselling, and appropriate iron supplementation in women with iron deficiency anaemia.