title: Lactoferrin versus ferrous sulphate for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy: a randomized clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of lactoferrin in comparison to ferrous sulphate for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) during pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective, randomized, parallel-group, single-center study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Menoufia University Hospital, Egypt and included a total of 200 pregnant women in the second trimester with IDA who were enrolled and randomly assigned either to receive 150 mg of dried ferrous sulphate capsules or lactoferrin 250 mg capsules once daily for eight consecutive weeks. The primary efficacy parameter was the amount of increase in hemoglobin concentration by 4 and 8 weeks, the adverse effects related to iron therapy and the patient compliance to the treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total increase in Hb after 2 months with lactoferrin was higher (2.26 ± 0.51 g/dL) compared to ferrous sulfate (1.11 ± 0.22 g/dL) (p < 0.001). Gastrointestinal adverse events occurred more frequently with ferrous sulphate than the lactoferrin group (p < 0.001). The number of women requesting change the drug was higher in the ferrous sulphate group (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lactoferrin was more effective than ferrous sulfate over a two-month period in pregnant women with IDA, with fewer gastrointestinal adverse events and better treatment acceptability.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine , Menoufia University , Menoufia , Egypt .
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rezk
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine , Menoufia University , Menoufia , Egypt .
authors.forename: Ragab
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dawood
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine , Menoufia University , Menoufia , Egypt .|b Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine , Taibah University , Madina , Saudi Arabia , and.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abo-Elnasr
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine , Menoufia University , Menoufia , Egypt .
authors.forename: Alaa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al Halaby
authors.affiliation: c Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine , Menoufia University , Menoufia , Egypt.
authors.forename: Hala
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Marawan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006397:Hematinics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005296:Ferrous Compounds; D006397:Hematinics; C020748:ferrous sulfate; D007781:Lactoferrin
keywords: Ferrous sulphate; iron deficiency anemia; lactoferrin; pregnant women