ArticleCurrent developments in nutrition2019
Adherence to Iron Supplementation in 22 Sub-Saharan African Countries and Associated Factors among Pregnant Women: A Large Population-Based Study.
Article in Current developments in nutrition, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 73 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
73 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Pooled it
- The Effects of Maternal Iron and Folate Supplementation on Pregnancy and Infant Outcomes in Africa: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Pooled it
- Self-management of iron and folic acid supplementation during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and postnatal periods: a systematic review.BMJ global health · 2021Pooled it
- Prenatal Intravenous Iron and Child Growth: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA network open · 2025Trial
- Ferric carboxymaltose for anemia in late pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial.Nature medicine · 2025Trial
- Influence of mobile phone calls on the compliance of the recommended four antenatal care visits in Kisii County, Kenya: a cluster randomized control trial.African health sciences · 2024Trial
- Postpartum maternal and infant haematological effects of second-trimester ferric carboxymaltose versus standard-of-care oral iron in Malawi: longitudinal follow-up of a randomised controlled trial.The Lancet. Global health · 2024Trial
- Ferric carboxymaltose versus standard-of-care oral iron to treat second-trimester anaemia in Malawian pregnant women: a randomised controlled trial.Lancet (London, England) · 2023Trial
- Integrating Calcium Into Antenatal Iron-Folic Acid Supplementation in Ethiopia: Women's Experiences, Perceptions of Acceptability, and Strategies to Support Calcium Supplement Adherence.Global health, science and practice · 2020Trial
- Intravenous ferric carboxymaltose versus oral ferrous sulphate for iron deficiency anaemia in pregnancy in Nigeria: a cost-utility analysis.The Lancet. Obstetrics, gynaecology, & women's health · 2026Article
- Factors affecting access to and utilisation of intravenous iron to treat anaemia in pregnancy in Zomba, Malawi: a qualitative study.BMJ global health · 2026Article
- Folic acid supplementation and neural tube defects: a cross-sectional study of knowledge and practice among pregnant mothers in Lira, Northern Uganda.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Compliance to iron folic acid supplementation and its associated factors among postpartum mothers of Bharatpur, Nepal: a cross-sectional study.BMJ public health · 2026Article
- Article
- Population-attributable fractions for risk factors for childhood anaemia: findings from the 2017 Togo Malaria Indicator Survey.The British journal of nutrition · 2025Article
- Exploring adherence to iron and folic acid supplementation in pregnant women at rural health facilities in Waghimra zone, Northern Ethiopia.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Article
- Article
- Urban-Rural Disparities in Non-Adherence to Iron Supplementation Among Pregnant Women Aged 15 to 49 in Sub-Saharan Africa.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- Is Iron Supplementation Associated with Infant Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa and Does Birth Weight Modify These Associations?Nutrients · 2025Article
- Perceptions and Acceptability of a Low Phytate: Iron Molar Ratio Biofortified Bean and Sweet Potato Dish Among Pregnant Women in Rural Uganda.Nutrients · 2025Article
13 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIron deficiency anemia during pregnancy is a significant public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and is associated with serious adverse health outcomes. Although it is recommended that all women receive iron supplementation during pregnancy, little research has been conducted to measure overall compliance with this recommendation or variation across SSA countries.
objectivesTo assess prevalence and sociodemographic-economic factors associated with adherence to iron supplementation among pregnant women in SSA.
methodsThis was a weighted population-based cross-sectional study of 148,528 pregnant women aged 15-49 y in 22 SSA countries that participated in the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) in 2013-2018 and measured iron supplementation during pregnancy. Adherence to iron supplementation was defined as using iron supplementation for ≥90 d during pregnancy of the most recent birth.
resultsThe overall prevalence of adherence to ≥90 d of iron supplementation during pregnancy was 28.7%, ranging from 1.4% in Burundi to 73.0% in Senegal. Factors associated with adherence included receiving ≥4 antenatal care visits [adjusted Prevalence Ratio (aPR): 25.73; 95% CI: 22.36, 29.60] compared with no antenatal visits; secondary or higher education (aPR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.14, 1.19) compared with no education; wealthy (aPR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.10, 1.16) compared with poor; and older women aged 35-49 y (aPR: 1.07; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.10) compared with younger women aged 15-24 y.
conclusionsAdherence to iron supplementation during pregnancy in SSA is low and varies substantially across countries and in relation to factors such as number of antenatal visits, education, and level of family wealth. These results underscore the need for increased efforts to improve the uptake of iron supplementation for pregnant women in SSA.
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