Compliance of daily iron supplementation during pregnancy affecting the hemoglobin level in second trimester and at term

Abstract Objectives: To determine the compliance rate of iron supplementation during pregnancy and the hemoglobin concentration in second trimester and at term.Methods: The study conducted among term pregnant women admission to the hospital for delivery who had non-anemic status at the initial visit for antenatal care, received daily iron supplementation before 20 weeks of gestation. They were interviewed to obtain the personal data, daily taking the supplemented tablet and side-effects. The compliance rate categorized as >80%, >50-80%, 25-50%, and < 25% according to the women’s response that they took daily tablet of 6-7, 3-5, 2, and 0-1 days/week, respectively. The type of supplementation and laboratory results of hemoglobin level were retrieved from their medical records.Results: Almost 90% of 350 participants had the compliance rate of >80%. The common side-effects were nausea and constipation. The side-effect rates were 10.5%, 12.1%, 66.7% in >80%, >50-80%, <25% compliance groups, respectively. In second trimester and term pregnancy revealed some anemic women. While hemoglobin concentrations above 13 gm/dl, which defined as high concentrated hemoglobin, revealed 12% during second trimester, and up to 30% at term in high compliance group.Conclusions: There was high compliance rate of iron supplementation with the high hemoglobin level markedly found in high compliance group.