Promotion of

Food Science, Nutrition and Dietetics

under the auspices of

Department of Home and Health Sciences

ABSTRACT

To assess the role of iron supplementation in the improvement of haemoglobin level in the 3 rd trimester of pregnancy and in the prevention of iron deficiency anaemia. It is prospective interventional study.

100 women of variable age groups and of different socioeconomic status with 6 months of pregnancy from MCH center of Nishtar hospital, Multan were enrolled in this study.

After history and clinical examination their haemoglobin levels were checked by photometric method. Then these women were provided iron supplement for three months and their haemoglobin levels were rechecked by same method and the results of 2 were compared.

Only 80 women out of 100 took the iron. Age, number of pregnancies and socioeconomic status divided these women into different groups. Out of these 80 women 60(75%) women had haemoglobin level less than 10 g/dl. Their mean Hb level was 9.1gm/dl. Out of these 60 women 51 (85%) were multipara and grandmultipara. They were from the lower and middle socioeconomic class. Only 9 (15%) were primigravida. After iron supplementation the mean haemoglobin level of 80 women who took the iron was 10.9gm/dl and 20 (25%) women were still anaemic, their mean haemoglobin level after iron intake was 8.8gm/dl. These women were mostly multipara or grand multipara and belonged to lower socioeconomic status.