Abstract

Objectives: To compare the effect of early versus late enteral iron supplementation in pre-term infants on their anthropometric, hematologic and iron status on follow up at four months of age.

Settings: Tertiary care teaching hospital.

Design: Descriptive study.

Methods: Pre-term infants less than 34 weeks gestational age by Modified New Ballard score, admitted in the In Born Nursery of SAT Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram for premie care was selected and was randomly assigned as early (starting enteral iron at 2 weeks of age) and late (starting enteral iron at 6weeks of age) enteral iron group. The anthropometric, hematologic and iron status was determined at birth.  Then they where started on enteral iron in colloidal form at 3mg/Kg/day introduced at above described time in both group. Both groups were followed up at four months of age and their anthropometric, hematologic and iron status was assessed. The improvement in the status of these parameters in the two group was compared statistically using SPSS version17.0.

Results: There was a statistically significant gain in Weight, Length, Haemoglobin value, Serum Iron and Sreum Ferritin on follow up at four months in the early enteral iron supplementation group compared to the late group.

Conclusion: It will be advisable to introduce enteral iron in pre-terms at 2weeks of post natal age.

Keywords: Enteral iron supplementation, Pre-term infants.