Anish Kumar Vishal1, Dinesh Bhasin2, Vidhu Dhar Dangwal3, Anurakshat Bhasin4
BACKGROUND
Anaemia is one of the major public health problems in developing nations. Iron
deficiency anaemia (IDA) is the commonest type of anaemia in pregnancy.
Parenteral iron therapy is a recommended modality of treatment of IDA. Inj. Ferric
Carboxymaltose (FCM) is a dextran free preparation which is safe, easy to deliver
and better tolerated. A maximum of 1000 mg can be infused at a time. The present
study was intended to assess the efficacy and safety of Inj. FCM in the treatment
of iron deficiency anaemia in the second and third trimester.
METHODS
This prospective study was conducted at a tertiary care centre at Pune. Pregnant
women with iron deficiency anaemia of moderate and severe grade were infused
1000 mg of Inj. FCM by longer infusion protocol. A total of 165 pregnant women
were included in the study. The efficacy of Inj. FCM was monitored by the rise in
the haemoglobin level at 03-, 06- and 08-weeks post infusion of FCM injection and
serum Ferritin levels. The safety was assessed by analysing the adverse reactions.
RESULTS
No serious adverse reaction was recorded in any of the patients. The rise in
haemoglobin (Hb) in second and third trimester of moderate and severe grade of
anaemia was significant (P < 0.001). The target level of 10 g / dl was achieved in
every patient. Only 03 patients received blood transfusion and that was for
obstetric indications. No blood transfusion was because of anaemia per se. The
rise in serum ferritin level was also statistically significant (P < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
Inj. FCM is an excellent modality to treat iron deficiency anaemia in pregnancy. It
is safe and the rise of haemoglobin with correction of anaemia is satisfactory in a
short span of time. In our country where only a handful of patients had regular
antenatal check-up and non-compliancy and refractory anaemia is rampant, Inj.
FCM is a big boon.
