Postpartum anaemia is not related to maternal iron status in the third trimester.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the maternal haemoglobin and iron stores of non-anaemic mothers (haemoglobin > or = 10 g/dl) who developed postpartum anaemia were lower compared to mothers who did not develop postpartum anaemia.

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective study was conducted in a teaching hospital on 467 low-risk mothers recruited from the antenatal clinic over a 3-month period, who were given only low dose iron supplement and delivered in the same hospital. Blood was drawn at 28-30 weeks for the measurement of haemoglobin, mean cell volume, serum ferritin, serum iron and total iron binding capacity. These results were compared between mothers with a postpartum day 3 haemoglobin of > or = 10 g/dl and those < 10 g/dl. Statistical analysis was performed with parametric and non-parametric methods as appropriate.

RESULTS: Mothers with postpartum anaemia had a higher incidence of postpartum haemorrhage (19.6% vs. 3.9%, P < 0.001) as well as heavier mean intrapartum blood loss (444 ml vs. 304 ml, P < 0.001), but there was no difference in the haemoglobin, mean cell volume, serum ferritin, serum iron and total iron binding capacity.

CONCLUSIONS: In mothers without antenatal anaemia, the development of postpartum anaemia is not related to the maternal iron status in the third trimester.