Family practice
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Meta Analysis
The benefits and harms of oral iron supplementation in non-anaemic pregnant women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Iron deficiency during pregnancy poses a significant risk to both maternal and foetal health. Current international guidelines provide discrepant advice on antenatal iron supplementation for non-anaemic women. ⋯ Prophylactic iron supplementation likely results in a large reduction in maternal anaemia during pregnancy. Future research should qualify the impact of this benefit on women's quality of life and determine which subpopulations benefit most. Evidence surrounding the harms of iron supplementation in the non-anaemic population is poor quality and inconsistent. Randomized controlled trials quantifying the risk of gastrointestinal (GI) disturbance and iron overload are essential to inform iron supplement use and reduce unwarranted variations in international guidelines.