The Effect of Orally Administered Iron-Saturated Lactoferrin on Systemic Iron Homeostasis in Pregnant Women Suffering from Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anaemia

Background: Anemia is a common medical disorder affecting a lot of women in pregnancy in the developing countries. Anemia is the second indirect obstetric cause of death after cardiac causes. Aims: To compare the safety, tolerability, efficacy and hematological response of lactoferrin in treatment of iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy versus ferrous sulfate capsules. Methodology: Hematological Response to lactoferrin versus ferrous sulfate in Treatment of Anemia with Pregnancy". Study site: Ain Shams University hospital. Study design: A double blind clinical trial. Study population: The study was included Two-hundred pregnant females with iron deficiency anemia attending the outpatient clinics of Ain shams university maternity hospital for routine antenatal care. For each pregnant woman, age, parity and gestational history were taken before treatment. All pregnant women took their allocated treatment regularly for eight weeks after diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia with hemoglobin level and serum ferritin level and followed up after four and eight weeks. Also, epigastric pain, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting or gastric distress reported to assess tolerability of the drugs. Results: The study included 200 pregnant women in a double blind study: Group I (lactoferrin): 100 cases were received 100mg of bovine lactoferrin (Pravotin sachets, Hygint, Egypt) twice a day. Group II (ferrous sulfate): 100 cases were received 150mg of dried ferrous sulphate + folic acid (vitamin B9) 0.50mg (Ferrofol, E.I.P.I.C.O, Egypt) three capsules per day. Conclusion: lactoferrin is more tolerable than ferrous sulphate. It has lesser GIT side effects and seems to icrease both hemoglobin and serum ferritin more than iron salts. Recommendations: Lactoferrin is recommended for patients with iron deficiency anemia.