Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41439469›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics2026

Iron deficiency with and without anemia in pregnancy: A scoping review of prevalence and perinatal impact.

Lucky O Lawani, David M Naimark, Joel G Ray, Jessica Widdifield, Paul Eze, Chidumebi J Idemili, Nadine Shehata

Abstract readScoping Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Lucky O LawaniInstitute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5350-7441
David M NaimarkInstitute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0621-0637
Joel G RayInstitute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1635-4658
Jessica WiddifieldInstitute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7464-0460
Paul EzeDepartment of Health Policy and Administration, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7202-8676
Chidumebi J IdemiliInstitute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Nadine ShehataInstitute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9267-6256

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe prevalence of iron deficiency with anemia and iron deficiency without anemia (IDWA) during pregnancy have not been summarized, and evidence of the direct association of IDWA with adverse perinatal outcomes (APO) are unknown.

objectivesTo summarize the prevalence of iron deficiency with and without anemia in pregnancy and determine if there is reported evidence of an effect for IDWA on adverse perinatal outcomes (APO). SEARCH STRATEGY: Literature search was completed using four electronic databases, with no restrictions on date or language. SELECTION CRITERIA: Selected were observational studies, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), systematic reviews, meta-analyses, narrative reviews on iron deficiency (ID) in pregnancy, published from inception to May 30, 2025. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two independent reviewers screened article titles, abstracts, and full texts. The PRISMA guideline for scoping reviews was followed. A narrative summary was performed.

resultsA total of 33 studies were included comprising five RCTs, 27 observational studies, and one narrative summary, involving 84 618 pregnant women. The prevalence of ID varied from 1.2%-71.0%; 1.2%-55.6% (IDA), and 1.6%-71.0% (IDWA). Two studies exclusively reported on IDWA and APO. The first study reported on preterm birth (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.6-1.4), stillbirth (aOR 4.0, 95% CI: 1.0-14.3), low birthweight (aOR 0.6, 95% CI: 0.4-1.0), and small for gestational age (aOR 0.8, 95% CI: 0.5-1.2) in IDWA versus iron replete. The second study reported an adjusted birthweight of 3140 g (95% CI: 3067-3213) in IDWA and 3202 g (95% CI: 3164-3240) in iron replete individuals (P = 0.16).

conclusionsPrevalence of ID varied widely, with substantial variability in biomarkers and diagnostic cut-offs used in case definition. There were limited studies reporting on IDWA and its association with APO. Further research is needed to establish an association and to inform early screening and determine whether treating IDWA improves perinatal outcomes.

Indexed as

Anemia, Iron-DeficiencyIron DeficienciesPregnancy ComplicationsPregnancy Complications, HematologicPregnancy OutcomeFemaleHumansInfant, NewbornPregnancyPrevalenceadverse perinatal outcomesiron deficiencyiron deficiency anemiairon deficiency without anemiapregnancy

Identifiers

PMID41439469
PMCPMC13173631

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.