Plexafer-F in the Management of Latent Iron Deficiency in Pregnancy

Abstract

The failure to prescribe in antenatal clinics a well tolerated form of supplementary oral iron that provides an adequate iron supply for the successful maintainance of active erythropoiesis in pregnant women largely accounts for the frequent development of latent iron deficiency in the child-bearing age.

The potential value of Plexafer-F*, a slow release ferrous sulphate preparation supplemented with folic acid, in reducing the high incidence of latent iron deficiency in pregnancy was assessed by conducting a randomized clinical trial of Plexafer-F and ordinary ferrous sulphate B.P. with folic acid in eighty women presenting early in pregnancy with latent iron deficiency. At the end of the trial, which was started at the sixteenth week of pregnancy and which lasted for twenty weeks, normal haematological values were obtained in thirty-eight out of forty patients (95%) taking Plexafer-F, but only in twenty-four out of forty patients (60%) taking ferrous sulphate. A simple screening test run on stool specimens provided during antenatal visits to check regular ingestion of the iron preparations prescribed, revealed regular drug intake and no intolerance in all the patients receiving Plexafer-F, against an intolerance leading to failure of regular drug intake in 37.5% of patients receiving ordinary ferrous sulphate.