TITLE:
Benefit of Iron Supplementation with Ferric Sodium EDTA (NaFe 3+-EDTA) in the Treatment of Anemia during Pregnancy in Democratic Republic of Congo (FERARI Study)
AUTHORS:
Muela Andy Mbangama, Difunda Victor Muela, Mwimba Roger Mbungu, Moyenne Jean Pierre Elongi, Ambis Joëlle Lumaya, Ndombasi Nelda Lemba, Umba Adrien Tandu, Otem Christian Ndesanzim, Nkashama Bienvenu Kazadi, Litambelo Serge Etana
KEYWORDS:
Iron Supplementation, Ferric Sodium EDTA, NaFe3+-EDTA, Anemia, Pregnancy
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.11 No.10,
October
29,
2021
ABSTRACT: Background: Oral
iron supplements, usually in the form of ferrous salts, are associated with
gastric side effects, poor compliance and failure of anemia treatment. To make
iron more bioavailable, reduce the gastric side effects and increase the
patient compliance, newer iron form, Ferric Sodium EDTA, has become available
on the market. Objective: To assess the change in hemoglobin level after iron supplementation with Ferric
Sodium EDTA during pregnancy. Materials and Methods: This is a
longitudinal study concerning 337 women
attending antenatal care in maternity hospitals in the Democratic Republic of Congo from May to December 2020. The
study included sociodemographic and anthropometric variables along with
type of feed, hemoglobin level at recruitment
and after three weeks of taking iron supplement with Ferric Sodium EDTA
(Hemoforce Plus Zinc® syrup). For statistical analysis, we used t-test or
ANOVA and chi-square test, the significance being stated at p Results: The frequency of pregnancy anemia was 51.4%. The mean hemoglobin value of the overall study group was 8.7 ± 0.5 g/dL. The mean maternal age and weight were 28.9 ± 6.2 years and 65.3 ± 11.7 kg, respectively.
Most pregnant women (83.1%) had a diet consisting of food of plant and animal
origin in equal proportions. Mean of Body Mass Index (BMI) was 24.6 ± 4.6 Kg/m2 and 44.3% were overweight and obese. The co-morbidities associated were malaria
and intestinal parasitosis found in 45% and 5.9% of cases, respectively. After iron treatment with Ferric
Sodium EDTA, the average hemoglobin level increased to 11.2 g/dL with
mean gain of 2.5 g/dL (p Conclusion: Ferric Sodium
EDTA as a novel iron formulation (Hemoforce Plus Zinc®) has
shown a rapid increase in hemoglobin levels in pregnant women suffering from
anemia. The speedy rise in hemoglobin is related to the property of Ferric
Sodium EDTA to enhance the iron absorption by inhibiting the dietary iron
inhibitors. Thus, Ferric Sodium EDTA should
be used as an effective and promising iron supplement in pregnant women
with iron deficiency anemia.