Conclusion Applying the CHERG rules , we recommend a 73 % reduction in anemia at term with daily iron ( alone ) supplementation or iron/folate ( combined ) vs. no intervention or placebo ; for inclusion in the LiST model .
Introduction Iron deficiency is the most prevalent nutrient deficiency in the world , particularly during pregnancy .
According to the literature , anemia , particularly severe anemia , is associated with increased risk of maternal mortality .
It also puts mothers at risk of multiple perinatal complications .
Numerous studies in the past have evaluated the impact of supplementation with iron and iron-folate but data regarding the efficacy and quality of evidence of these interventions are lacking .
This article aims to address the impact of iron with and without folate supplementation on maternal anemia and provides outcome specific quality according to the Child Health Epidemiology Reference Group ( CHERG ) guidelines .
Iron deficiency and child and maternal health.
BACKGROUND Iron deficiency is most commonly found in women of reproductive age and infants worldwide , but the influence of maternal iron deficiency on infant development is underexplored . OBJECTIVE The objective was to examine the relation between maternal iron status and mother-child interactions in a r and omized , double-blind , intervention trial conducted in South Africa . DESIGN Women were recruited into the study from a health clinic at 6 - 8 wk postpartum and were classified as either iron-deficient anemic ( IDA ) or iron-sufficient after blood analysis . IDA mothers received iron supplements of 125 mg FeSO(4 ) ( IDA-Fe ; n = 34 ) or placebo ( IDA-PL ; n = 30 ) daily from 10 wk to 9 mo postpartum . The control group ( n = 31 ) consisted of  iron-sufficient mothers . Free-play mother-child interaction sessions were videotaped in the clinic at 10 wk ( n = 80 ) and 9 mo ( n = 66 ) postpartum and coded per the Emotional Availability Scales ( 4 maternal scales : sensitivity , structuring , nonintrusiveness , and nonhostility ; 2 infant scales : responsiveness and involvement ) . RESULTS At 10 wk , scores for maternal sensitivity and child responsiveness were significantly greater in the control group than in the IDA groups ( P = 0.028 and 0.009 , respectively ) . At 9 mo , the control and IDA-Fe groups no longer differed . These 2 groups scored significantly better on the maternal sensitivity , structuring , and nonhostility scales and on the child responsiveness scale than did the IDA-PL group ( P = 0.007 - 0.032 ) , whose iron status remained low . CONCLUSION These data indicate that maternal iron deficiency negatively affects mother-child interactions and that iron supplementation protects against these negative effects
Conclusion Applying the CHERG rules , we recommend a 73 % reduction in anemia at term with daily iron ( alone ) supplementation or iron/folate ( combined ) vs. no intervention or placebo ; for inclusion in the LiST model .
Introduction Iron deficiency is the most prevalent nutrient deficiency in the world , particularly during pregnancy .
According to the literature , anemia , particularly severe anemia , is associated with increased risk of maternal mortality .
It also puts mothers at risk of multiple perinatal complications .
Numerous studies in the past have evaluated the impact of supplementation with iron and iron-folate but data regarding the efficacy and quality of evidence of these interventions are lacking .
This article aims to address the impact of iron with and without folate supplementation on maternal anemia and provides outcome specific quality according to the Child Health Epidemiology Reference Group ( CHERG ) guidelines .