Changes in markers of anemia and iron metabolism and how they are influenced by antianemics in postpartum period

Background. The object of this study was to examine the occurrence of iron deficiency anemia in women after spontaneous delivery, changes in clinical and laboratory indicators of anemia in postpartum period and their possible control by administration of peroral antianemics. Methods. Ninety pregnant women at 35th to 39th week of gestation were rando mly divided into three groups and extensively examined in a laboratory. Aft er delivery, the mothers were examined four times at monthly intervals unti l the end of the third postpartum month. At the same time, they were examin ed for their subjective feeling of health, with some focus on typical anemi c symptoms. Women in the first group were treated with 80 mg of elemental i ron a day for the first two months after childbirth. Women in the second gr oup were treated with 80 mg of elemental iron + 0.35 mg of folic acid a day for the same period of time. Women in the control group did not use any me dication. McNamara test was used to evaluate the portion of anemic and side ropenic women and for comparison between individual groups. Results. Findings of the study have shown a faster adjustment of laboratory and clinical indicators of postpartum anemia in women treated with iron. W e did not observe the only, sovereign marker of iron deficiency (sideropeni c) anemia in the early postpartum period. Conclusions. We recommend hat administration of iron to all women after spo ntaneous delivery. Postpartum substitution with iron should last at least t hree months because of longlasting sideropenia. Adding folic acid to iron d oes not have any significant impact during the postpartum period.