Background: Anemia continues to be a public health issue. Iron deficiency anemia
is the commonest nutritional cause of anemia. Post partum anemia is as common
and clinically significant as prepartum anemia and should be treated.
Objective: To determine the incidence, and effect of treatment of postpartum
anemia using oral versus intravenous iron.
Methodology: A prospective study in which postpartum women with mild to
moderate anemia were randomised to two groups within 48 hours of delivery. One
group was given oral iron and the other intravenous iron dextran. Response and
comparative effects of treatment using either route of administration was assessed
at six post partum weeks.