A randomized clinical trial of the efficacy of single versus double-daily dose of oral iron for prevention of iron deficiency anemia in women with twin gestations.

OBJECTIVE: The study aims to assess the efficacy of single versus double-daily oral iron dose on prevention of iron deficiency anemia in women with twin gestations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A randomized controlled trial (NCT02858505) conducted at Woman's Health Hospital, Assiut, Egypt, between August 2015 and June 2016 included 120 non-anemic pregnant women with twin gestations in the first trimester. Women were randomly assigned to either group I (27 mg elemental iron) or group II (54 mg elemental iron) daily starting from 12 weeks of pregnancy till 36 weeks. The primary outcomes included the mean level of hemoglobin, hematocrit and serum ferritin at 36 weeks' gestation.

RESULTS: Both iron doses maintained the mean hemoglobin and hematocrit within the normal level from 12 weeks to 36 weeks (p = 0.378 and p = 0.244, respectively). However, the mean serum ferritin level was higher in group II than group I (p = 0.000) at 36 weeks' gestation. Moreover, women in group II reported more side effects than group I at 36 weeks' gestation.

CONCLUSIONS: Doubling the prophylactic iron dose is comparable to single dose in the prevention of iron deficiency anemia among women with twin gestations with more side effects.