Purpose: The purpose of the study was to observe the efficacy of oral and parenteral iron therapy in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy. Method: The study design was a prospective observational study, the study was carried out at tertiary hospital, Hyderabad. Patients included in the study were classified into two groups based on the therapy prescribed into oral and parenteral groups. The patients were asked to report after four weeks for the estimation of hemoglobin. The patients were followed up to their delivery, and the gestational age at the time of delivery, analysis was carried out to compare non nominal parameter (hemoglobin) between the two groups. Result: The results showed between the two groups: In patients who were prescribed with Oral iron therapy 62% of patients out of which 39% patients shows an increase in Hemoglobin levels and 23% patients doesn’t show any significant improvement in their hemoglobin levels. In patients who were prescribed with parenteral intravenous iron therapy was 38% out of which 33% patients shows a significant increase in their hemoglobin levels and 5 % patients doesn’t show increase in their Hemoglobin levels. Conclusion: It was observed that oral iron therapy is particularly effective in management of mild-moderate anemia during pregnancy and as a prophylactic measure, while Parenteral iron therapy is effective in the management of moderate to severe anemia, which shows significant improvement in hemoglobin levels and is better tolerated in anemic pregnant patients.
