Single-Dose IV Iron Drip Transforms Anaemia Care for Pregnant Women
Severe anaemia during pregnancy is increasing across India. This condition poses serious risks, including pre-term births and low birth-weight babies. States are now adopting a powerful new tool: a single-dose intravenous iron drip that promises to change outcomes dramatically.
Rajasthan Leads the Way with New Treatment Protocol
Rajasthan stands among the first states to introduce this innovative IV supplement under the national Anaemia Mukt Bharat programme. The initiative follows promising results from district-level studies.
Dr. Seema Mehta, a professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at Sawai Maan Singh Medical College in Jaipur, explains the critical need. "We face a very high burden of anaemia among pregnant women," she states. "The traditional challenge has been poor compliance with daily iron tablets due to gastrointestinal side effects like nausea and stomach discomfort."
She describes a recent case: a 25-year-old pregnant woman arrived at her clinic with severe anaemia after irregularly taking her oral supplements. Following a single IV iron infusion, her haemoglobin levels showed significant improvement.
How the New IV Treatment Works
The game-changing formulation is called Ferric Carboxymaltose (FCM). Unlike previous IV iron treatments that required multiple hospital visits, this new version needs just one infusion.
Dr. Amit Yadav, director of the National Health Mission in Rajasthan, reveals the timeline. "After our study demonstrated FCM's effectiveness in correcting anaemia, we launched a pilot programme in early December," he says.
Karnataka has joined this movement, rolling out IV FCM across 31 districts for pregnant women with moderate to severe anaemia. The treatment specifically targets women with haemoglobin levels between 5-6.9 g/dL during weeks 13-34 of pregnancy, and those with levels between 5-7.9 g/dL during lactation.
Addressing Late-Stage Pregnancy Challenges
Dr. Mehta highlights another crucial advantage. "The single-dose IV FCM proves especially valuable for women in late pregnancy stages," she notes. "We cannot simply send them home with tablets and wait to see if haemoglobin improves before delivery. This treatment provides a rapid solution."
The government has introduced a digital tool called the Garbha Sutra application to calculate precise IV FCM dosages based on individual haemoglobin levels and body weight.
Cost Reduction Makes Widespread Adoption Possible
A significant development occurred in 2023 when FCM came off patent. This opened the door for much cheaper alternatives.
"Previously, IV FCM cost around Rs 2,300 per dose, which was prohibitive for public health programmes," explains Dr. Yadav. "Now formulations are available for as low as Rs 170, making large-scale implementation feasible."
Important Safety Considerations
Medical professionals emphasize that IV FCM is not suitable for everyone. Doctors must exclude women whose anaemia stems from causes other than iron deficiency. The treatment is also contraindicated for those with liver disorders like jaundice and cirrhosis, acute cardiac failure, thalassaemia, or sickle cell disease.
The Growing Anaemia Burden in India
Recent data from the National Family Health Survey (2019-2021) reveals concerning trends. Anaemia rates have increased across multiple groups:
- Children aged 6-59 months: 67.1% (up from 58.6% in 2015-16)
- Women aged 15-49 years: 57% (up from 53.1%)
- Pregnant women: 52.2% (up from 50.4%)
This rising prevalence makes effective interventions like the single-dose IV iron treatment even more critical for India's public health system.
