From the Research
Venofer (iron sucrose) is not the preferred treatment for iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women, according to the most recent and highest quality study, which recommends ferric carboxymaltose instead due to safety reasons 1. However, when considering the use of intravenous iron, the dose and administration of Venofer can be guided by the patient's weight and severity of anemia.
- The treatment is usually initiated after the first trimester when iron deficiency is confirmed by laboratory testing (hemoglobin <10.5 g/dL and ferritin <30 ng/mL).
- Each infusion should be administered over at least 30 minutes.
- Patients should be monitored for hypersensitivity reactions during administration, though these are rare with iron sucrose compared to other IV iron formulations.
- Hemoglobin levels typically begin to improve within 7-14 days after starting treatment.
- Follow-up laboratory testing is recommended 2-4 weeks after completing the course to assess response. It's also important to note that oral iron therapy should be given as first-line treatment, and intravenous iron therapy should be administered in cases of severe iron-deficiency anemia, intolerance of oral iron, lack of response to oral iron, or in the case of a clinical need for rapid and efficient treatment of anemia 1. In terms of specific dosing, a study from 2005 compared intravenous iron to oral iron in the treatment of anemia in pregnancy, and found that intravenous iron sucrose was more effective in restoring iron stores and improving hemoglobin levels 2. However, this study is not the most recent, and the recommendation from the 2017 study should be prioritized due to its more recent publication and higher quality evidence 1.