Impact of Oral Iron Supplementation on Biochemical Markers of Iron Status and Pregnancy Outcomes in Anaemic Pregnant Women in Niger State

Iron deficiency anaemia in pregnancy is a major contributor to adverse pregnancy outcomes in Niger State, and the biochemical effectiveness of standard oral iron supplementation protocols in producing measurable improvements in iron status markers in this population requires empirical documentation. This study investigates the impact of daily oral ferrous sulphate supplementation (200 mg providing 65 mg elemental iron) on biochemical iron status markers and selected pregnancy outcomes in anaemic pregnant women in Minna, Niger State. A prospective interventional design enrolled one hundred and twenty anaemic pregnant women (haemoglobin 7-10.9 g/dL) in their second trimester at Minna General Hospital. Participants received daily ferrous sulphate supplementation for twelve weeks under supervised compliance monitoring using pill count and MEMS cap technology. Biochemical assessments of haemoglobin, serum ferritin, serum iron, transferrin saturation, and mean corpuscular volume were conducted at baseline, week six, and week twelve. Reticulocyte count and haemoglobin response rate assessed erythropoietic response. Pregnancy outcomes recorded included gestational age at delivery, birth weight, and postpartum haemorrhage rates. Results show statistically significant increases in all iron status markers from baseline to week twelve in the compliant supplementation group. Haemoglobin response above 1 g/dL was achieved in 78 percent of participants by week six. Serum ferritin doubled from week six to twelve, indicating replenishment of iron stores. Full compliance correlated with significantly better birth weight and lower postpartum haemorrhage rates. Non-compliance reduced biochemical improvements by approximately 40 percent. Keywords: iron supplementation, iron deficiency anaemia, pregnancy, biochemical markers, Niger State.