Cochrane · systematic review · CD009997
Intermittent oral iron supplementation during pregnancy
Peña‐Rosas, JP, De‐Regil, LM, Gomez Malave, H, et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2015 · Cochrane Library
SoF tableOnly the outcomes this review put in its Summary of Findings table are listed (the Cochrane Handbook caps them at about seven per comparison). Its other analyses are not shown here.
Questions
12
current version
GRADE rated
8
No studies
0
Included studies
NR
No studies 0 · 0%Ungraded 4 · 33.3%Very low 5 · 41.7%Low 3 · 25%Moderate 0 · 0%High 0 · 0%
Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.
Questions and results
Current version onlyAny intermittent iron regimen (with or without other vitamins and minerals) compared with daily regimen (with same vitamins and minerals)‐infant outcomes
Population: Women receiving supplements during pregnancy
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Low birthweight (less than 2500 g) Any intermittent iron regimen (with or without other vitamins and minerals) vs daily regimen (with same vitamins and minerals)‐infant outcomes | RR 0.82 [0.55, 1.22] | 8 studies · 1898 participants | Low |
Birthweight (g) Any intermittent iron regimen (with or without other vitamins and minerals) vs daily regimen (with same vitamins and minerals)‐infant outcomes | MD 5.13 | 9 studies · 1939 participants | Low |
Premature birth (less than 37 weeks of gestation) Any intermittent iron regimen (with or without other vitamins and minerals) vs daily regimen (with same vitamins and minerals)‐infant outcomes | RR 1.03 [0.76, 1.39] | 5 studies · 1177 participants | Low |
Neonatal death (within 28 days after delivery) Any intermittent iron regimen (with or without other vitamins and minerals) vs daily regimen (with same vitamins and minerals)‐infant outcomes | RR 0.49 [0.04, 5.42] | 1 study · 795 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision |
Congenital anomalies (including neural tube defects) Any intermittent iron regimen (with or without other vitamins and minerals) vs daily regimen (with same vitamins and minerals)‐infant outcomes | no estimate extracted | 0 studies · 0 participants | Ungraded |
Any intermittent iron regimen (with or without other vitamins and minerals) compared with daily regimen (with same vitamins and minerals)‐maternal outcomes
Population: Women receiving supplements in pregnancy
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Maternal anaemia at term (Hb less than 110 g/L at 37 weeks' gestation or more) Any intermittent iron regimen (with or without other vitamins and minerals) vs daily regimen (with same vitamins and minerals)‐maternal outcomes | RR 1.22 [0.84, 1.8] | 4 studies · 676 participants | Very low |
Maternal iron deficiency at term (based on any indicator of iron status at 37 weeks' gestation or more) Any intermittent iron regimen (with or without other vitamins and minerals) vs daily regimen (with same vitamins and minerals)‐maternal outcomes | no estimate extracted | 0 studies · 0 participants | Ungraded |
Maternal iron‐deficiency anaemia at term (Hb less than 110 g/L and at least 1 additional laboratory indicators at 37 weeks' gestation or more) Any intermittent iron regimen (with or without other vitamins and minerals) vs daily regimen (with same vitamins and minerals)‐maternal outcomes | RR 0.71 [0.08, 6.63] | 1 study · 156 participants | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, inconsistency |
Maternal death (death while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy) Any intermittent iron regimen (with or without other vitamins and minerals) vs daily regimen (with same vitamins and minerals)‐maternal outcomes | RR 0 [0, 0] | 0 studies · 0 participants | Ungraded |
Side effects (any reported throughout intervention period) Any intermittent iron regimen (with or without other vitamins and minerals) vs daily regimen (with same vitamins and minerals)‐maternal outcomes | RR 0.56 [0.37, 0.84] | 11 studies · 1777 participants | Very low |
Severe anaemia at any time during second and third trimester (Hb less than 70 g/L) Any intermittent iron regimen (with or without other vitamins and minerals) vs daily regimen (with same vitamins and minerals)‐maternal outcomes | no estimate extracted | 6 studies · 1240 participants | Very low |
Maternal clinical malaria or other infection in pregnancy Any intermittent iron regimen (with or without other vitamins and minerals) vs daily regimen (with same vitamins and minerals)‐maternal outcomes | RR 0 [0, 0] | 0 studies · 0 participants | Ungraded |
Any intermittent oral iron supplementation versus any daily iron supplementation for women during pregnancy‐infant outcomes
Population: women during pregnancy
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Low birthweight (less than 2500 g) Any intermittent oral iron supplementation vs any daily iron supplementation | RR 0.96 [0.61, 1.52] | 7 studies · 1111 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Birthweight (g) Any intermittent oral iron supplementation vs any daily iron supplementation | no estimate extracted | 8 studies · 1152 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency |
Premature birth (less than 37 weeks of gestation) Any intermittent oral iron supplementation vs any daily iron supplementation | RR 1.82 [0.75, 4.4] | 4 studies · 382 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency |
Neonatal death (death within first 28 days of life) Any intermittent oral iron supplementation vs any daily iron supplementation | no estimate extracted | 0 studies · 0 participants | Ungraded |
Congenital anomalies (including neural tube defects) Any intermittent oral iron supplementation vs any daily iron supplementation | no estimate extracted | 0 studies · 0 participants | Ungraded |
Any intermittent oral iron supplementation versus any daily iron supplementation for women during pregnancy‐maternal outcomes
Population: women during pregnancy
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Anaemia at term (Hb < 110 g/L at 37 wk gestation or more) Any intermittent oral iron supplementation vs any daily iron supplementation | RR 1.22 [0.84, 1.8] | 4 studies · 676 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency |
Iron deficiency at term (as defined by trialists, based on any indicator of iron status at 37 wk gestation or more) Any intermittent oral iron supplementation vs any daily iron supplementation | no estimate extracted | 0 studies · 0 participants | Ungraded |
Iron‐deficiency anaemia at term (as defined by trialists) Any intermittent oral iron supplementation vs any daily iron supplementation | RR 0.71 [0.08, 6.63] | 1 study · 156 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Maternal death Any intermittent oral iron supplementation vs any daily iron supplementation | no estimate extracted | 0 studies · 0 participants | Ungraded |
Side effects (any reported throughout intervention period) Any intermittent oral iron supplementation vs any daily iron supplementation | RR 0.56 [0.37, 0.84] | 11 studies · 1777 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency |
Severe anaemia at any time during second and third trimester (Hb less than 70 g/L) Any intermittent oral iron supplementation vs any daily iron supplementation | no estimate extracted | 6 studies · 1240 participants | Ungraded |
Maternal clinical malaria Any intermittent oral iron supplementation vs any daily iron supplementation | no estimate extracted | 0 studies · 0 participants | Ungraded |
Maternal infection during pregnancy Any intermittent oral iron supplementation vs any daily iron supplementation | no estimate extracted | 0 studies · 0 participants | Ungraded |