Simple Test for Ingested Iron in Hospital and Domiciliary Practice

Abstract

A simple screening test to check ingestion of prescribed oral iron is presented. The use of this test on 483 pregnant patients in hospital and domiciliary practice suggests that 28% were failing to carry out their treatment at the time they were tested. If there is a discrepancy between the test result and the patient's story resort to a more complex test of iron intake might be considered before labelling the patient “ iron-resistant.”. © 1966, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.