Dear colleagues,

I want to do a small literature review
as part of my family practice residency, which should answer a "clinical
question".
I have been involved in iron supplementaion programmes in Malawi in
Africa and Zambia, and I know that in Africa we generally say that
iron supplementation is imperative in the antenatal period, for all
women. Here in Canada I find that only select groups receive iron in
pregnancy, such as those with a short birth interval, those with
established low haemoglobin, and a few other instances.

I am interested in hearing back as to whether you think it is valid to
NOT give iron supplementation to all pregnant women? Is this at all a
contentious area, or have there been very clear clinical guidelines
established (and are these based on good reserach)?

Another question, which might be outside of the expertise in this
group, is whether there is proven maternal morbidity and perinatal
mortality, in women with low iron stores (as measured for instance
through ferritin or transeferrin receptor levels) and NORMAL
haemoglobin?

Many thanks and I hope to hear from you.

Pierre Dil
home page     http://members.truepath.com/dil/dil.html

international health page
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Falls/2949/ihealth.htm