The Relationship Between the Adequacy of Iron Tablet Supplementation and Hemoglobin Level in Pregnant Women

Abstract

Anemia is problem commonly occurs in pregnant women. Pregnant women are said to be anemic if their hemoglobin levels are less than 11 g/dl. This condition occurs because of the insufficient intake of iron (Fe) to meet the increased need of the body during pregnancy and childbirth. The incidence of Fe deficiency related anemia in pregnant women in Indonesia ranges from 20-25%. Therefore, pregnant women are advised to consume at least 90 Fe tablets with a dose of 1 tablet per during 90 initial days of pregnancy. The tablet contains 200 mg of ferrosus sulfate and 0.25 mg of folic acid bound with lactose. The purpose of the research was to determine the relationship between the adequacies of Fe supplementations with the hemoglobin level of pregnant women in Johan Pahlawan District, West Aceh Regency. This quantitative study used a cross-sectional design involving 62 out 165 pregnant women in the second and third trimesters who were recorded at Johan Pahlawan and Suak Ribee Primary Health Centers, Johan Pahlawan Subdistrict. The subjects were recruited by a purposive sampling. The results showed that iron tablet supplementation was very significantly related (p<0.001) to hemoglobin level of pregnant women.