The effects of severe iron-deficiency anaemia on maternal and neonatal outcomes: A case–control study in an inner-city London hospital

Abstract

This case–control study investigates the effects of severe iron-deficiency anaemia in pregnancy on maternal and neonatal outcomes in a relatively deprived inner-city population in a North London hospital. The study group comprised of 106 women with haemoglobin (Hb) < 8 g/dl at any point during pregnancy, while controls were 106 women with Hb > 11 g/dl throughout pregnancy. The study group lost an average of 80 ml more blood at delivery (p = 0.032) and had higher rates of postpartum haemorrhage than the control group (27 vs 12 patients, p = 0.012). However, anaemia did not appear to influence other maternal or neonatal outcomes; these may have been confounded by antenatal intervention with oral haematinics or blood transfusion.

Keywords::

• Anaemia
• neonatal outcomes
• pregnancy
• postpartum haemorrhage

Acknowledgements

The North Middlesex University Hospital supported this research. The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge the women who participated in this study.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no declarations of interest.