EVALUATION OF EFFECTIVENESS OF IRON-FOLATE SUPPLEMENTATION AND ANTHELMINTIC THERAPY AGAINST ANEMIA IN PREGNANCY - A STUDY IN THE PLANTATIONSECTOR OF SRI-LANKA

Intervention measures against anemia available to plantation workers d uring pregnancy include fortified food supplements (thriposha) and iro n-folate supplements containing 60 mg elemental Fe. The effectiveness of these intervention measures was studied in 195 subjects whose iron and nutritional status were assessed at < 24 and > 32 wk of gestation. Taking thriposha conferred no significant benefit on maternal nutriti onal status, probably because sufficient amounts were not consumed. An increase in the duration of iron-folate supplementation to > 17 wk ca used a significant positive change (P < 0.01) in hemoglobin, whereas a n increase in the dose frequency had no significant benefit. Anthelmin thic therapy in addition to iron-folate supplements caused a significa nt positive change in hemoglobin (P < 0.001) and serum ferritin (P < 0 .005) compared with no supplementation. Thus, anthelminthic therapy si gnificantly increased the beneficial effects of iron supplementation o n hemoglobin concentration and iron status.