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Pregnant women who take an iron supplement twice a week receive the same health benefits as expectant mothers who take a daily dose of the essential mineral, AFP reports citing new research. The study, carried out by a team from the University of Melbourne, found that taking a daily dose of iron during pregnancy did not provide any additional benefits in terms of birth weight or improved infant growth compared to bi-weekly supplementation. The findings, published in the PLOS Medicine journal, are a potential global game-changer for the way in which many people suffering from anemia are treated. The side effects and costs of daily iron supplementation are often seen as a challenge to treating anemia. The study compared findings from three controlled groups in a semi-rural region of Vietnam. Some 426 women were given daily iron and folic acid supplements, another 425 twice weekly, while a third group of 407 were given iron, folic acid and micronutrients two times a week. The researchers found similar birth weight for the women's babies in all groups, and there were also no differences in rates of premature births, stillbirths or early neo-natal death. At six months, there were no differences in the levels of infant hemoglobin, anemia or growth rates. Furthermore, infants born to mothers in the bi-weekly iron and folic acid supplement group had improved cognitive development compared to mothers in the daily supplement group. "We have shown that twice weekly antenatal (iron-folic acid supplementation) or )multiple micronutrient supplementation) in an area of Southeast Asia with low anemia prevalence did not produce a clinically important difference in birth weight or infant growth outcomes, compared to daily antenatal (iron-folic acid supplementation)," the study's authors reported. "Our finding of a significant improvement in infant cognitive outcome at six months of age following twice weekly antenatal (iron-folic acid supplementation) requires further exploration, and provides additional support for the use of intermittent over daily antenatal (iron-folic acid supplementation) regimes in populations with low rates of iron deficiency." The study was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia.
Pregnant women who take an iron supplement twice a week receive the same health benefits as expectant mothers who take a daily dose of the essential mineral, AFP reports citing new research.
The study, carried out by a team from the University of Melbourne, found that taking a daily dose of iron during pregnancy did not provide any additional benefits in terms of birth weight or improved infant growth compared to bi-weekly supplementation.
The findings, published in the PLOS Medicine journal, are a potential global game-changer for the way in which many people suffering from anemia are treated.
The side effects and costs of daily iron supplementation are often seen as a challenge to treating anemia.
The study compared findings from three controlled groups in a semi-rural region of Vietnam.
Some 426 women were given daily iron and folic acid supplements, another 425 twice weekly, while a third group of 407 were given iron, folic acid and micronutrients two times a week.
The researchers found similar birth weight for the women's babies in all groups, and there were also no differences in rates of premature births, stillbirths or early neo-natal death. At six months, there were no differences in the levels of infant hemoglobin, anemia or growth rates.
Furthermore, infants born to mothers in the bi-weekly iron and folic acid supplement group had improved cognitive development compared to mothers in the daily supplement group.
"We have shown that twice weekly antenatal (iron-folic acid supplementation) or )multiple micronutrient supplementation) in an area of Southeast Asia with low anemia prevalence did not produce a clinically important difference in birth weight or infant growth outcomes, compared to daily antenatal (iron-folic acid supplementation)," the study's authors reported.
"Our finding of a significant improvement in infant cognitive outcome at six months of age following twice weekly antenatal (iron-folic acid supplementation) requires further exploration, and provides additional support for the use of intermittent over daily antenatal (iron-folic acid supplementation) regimes in populations with low rates of iron deficiency."
The study was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia.
