Iron Deficiency

Iron deficiency (ID) is a common condition amongst pregnant Australian women. However, there is a degree of uncertainty amongst those health professionals who deal with pregnant women as to its clinical consequences (particularly in the absence of concurrent anemia) and the best policy regarding identification and prevention. The guidelines proposed in this document are intended to clarify the position for Australian general practitioners, obstetricians and midwives, having regard to the latest scientific research and accepted …

…direct reliance on serum ferritin assay as a screening tool, along with a more aggressive approach to the level of iron stores at which iron supplementation should be prescribed [30]. The panel's guidelines are built around current practice in routine antenatal care, particularly in relation to the first and 28 week visit. They rely on an initial risk assessment of the patient's risk for developing iron deficiency, using a combination of targeted history and routine antenatal screening.