Table 2.
Studies included in this review (n = 53)
| Authors | Year | Location | Study design | Timing of anaemia measurement (postpartum) | Setting of measurementa | Anaemia threshold, haemoglobin (g/L) | Related maternal outcomes measured |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Froessler [27] | 2013 | Australia | RCTb | 72 h | Research | < 110 | NRc |
| Beard [19] | 2005 | South Africa | RCT | 6–8 weeks | Research | 90 and 115 | depression, cognitive ability, stress |
| Bhandal [28] | 2006 | UK | RCT | 24–48 h | Research | < 90 | adverse events |
| Daniilidis [29] | 2011 | Greece | RCT | NR | Research | < 80 | adverse events, iron compliance |
| Mumtaz [30] | 2011 | Pakistan | RCT | 24–48 h | Research | 90 | NR |
| Murray-Kolb [31] | 2009 | South Africa | RCT | 6–8 weeks | Research | 90 and 115 | mother and child interactions at 10 weeks and 9 months |
| Perez [32] | 2005 | South Africa | RCT | 6–8 weeks | Research | 90 and 115 | mother and child interactions at 10 weeks and 9 months |
| Guerra [33] | 2012 | Spain | RCT | 6 weeks | Research | 70 to 100 | maternal mortality, infection |
| Jain [34] | 2013 | India | RCT | 48 h | Research | < 80 | NR |
| Krafft [35] | 2011 | Switzerland | RCT | 24–48 h | Research | < 85 | NR |
| Perello [36] | 2014 | Spain | RCT | 48 h | Research | 60–80 | clinical symptoms of anaemia, depression |
| Prick [37] | 2014 | Netherlands | RCT | 12–24 h | Research | 48 to 79 | breastfeeding |
| Seid [38] | 2008 | USA | RCT | 10 days | Research | < 100 | NR |
| Tam [39] | 2005 | China | RCT | 2 days | Research | 80 to 99 | breastfeeding |
| Van Wyck [40] | 2007 | USA and Mexico | RCT | 10 days | Research | less or 100 | quality of life, maternal mortality, adverse events |
| Verma [41] | 2014 | India | RCT | 24 h | Research | < 80 | breastfeeding, length of hospital stay, blood transfusion |
| Wagstrom [42] | 2007 | Sweden | RCT | 72 h | Research | < 80 | infection, adverse events |
| Westad [43] | 2008 | Norway | RCT | unclear | Research | 65 to 85 | quality of life, adverse events |
| Backe [44] | 2009 | Sweden | RCT | 48 h | Research | 65 to 85 | quality of life, fatigue and depression |
| Chaudhuri [45] | 2013 | India | RCT | 24–48 h | Research | 60–80 | side effects, complications |
| Holm [46] | 2017 | Denmark | RCT | 12 h | Research | > 65 | change in fatigue score at 12 weeks post intervention, breastfeeding initiation, red blood cell transfusion |
| Hossain [47] | 2013 | Pakistan | RCT | 24–48 h | Research | < 100 | NR |
| Suneja [48] | 2014 | India | RCT | 10 days | Research | 70–100 | NR |
| Breymann [49] | 2007 | Switzerland | Cohort | 2–3 days | Research | 10–12 | breast milk iron stores |
| Dede [50] | 2005 | Turkey | Cohort | unclear | Research | < 90 | NR |
| Haidar [51] | 2005 | Kenya | Cohort | unclear | Research | NR | NR |
| Mitra [52] | 2012 | USA | RCT | 2 and 6 weeks | Research | < 120 | compliance to intervention |
| Van Der Woude [53] | 2014 | Netherlands | RCT | 48 h | Research | < 105 | quality of life, fatigue |
| Zhao [54] | 2019 | China | Cohort | 2–3 days | Research | < 120 | iron in breastmilk |
| Kant [55] | 2020 | India | Cohort | 48 h | Research | 50–99 | NR |
| Chandrasekaran [56] | 2018 | Canada | Cohort | 24 h | Research | < 110 | function, depression, breastfeeding rates |
| Kaur [57] | 2021 | India | Cohort | unclear | Research | 50–99 | NR |
| Yefet [58] | 2020 | Israel | Cohort | immediately after birth | Research | < 100 | NR |
| Selvarajah [59] | 2019 | India | Cohort | 6 weeks | Home | < 120 | NR |
| Hye [60] | 2022 | Bangladesh | Cohort | 24 h | Research | 70–80 | NR |
| Liyew [61] | 2020 | Ethiopia | Cohort | unclear | Research | < 120 | NR |
| Koyuncu[62] | 2017 | Turkey | Cohort | unclear | Research | < 110 | NR |
| Mremi [63] | 2022 | Tanzania | Cohort | 6 weeks | Research | < 110 | pregnancy interval |
| Tairo [64] | 2021 | Tanzania | Cohort | 6 weeks | Research | < 110 | breastfeeding complications |
| Vanobberghen [65] | 2021 | Tanzania | RCT | 14 days | Research | < 110 | quality of life, adverse events |
| Sharma [66] | 2017 | India | Cohort | unclear | Research | < 100 | NR |
| Iancu [67] | 2021 | Canada | Cohort | immediately after birth | Research | < 100 | prescription of oral iron on discharge, use of intravenous iron |
| Rubio-Álvarez [68] | 2017 | Spain | Cohort (retrospective) | unclear | Clinical care | < 110 | NR |
| Garrido [69] | 2017 | Spain | Cohort (retrospective) | 24–48 h | Clinical care | < 100 | NR |
| Paoletti [70] | 2013 | Italy | RCT | unclear | Research | not defined, only measured | postnatal depression |
| Infante-Torres [71] | 2017 | Spain | Cohort (retrospective) | 24 h | Clinical care | < 110 | NR |
| Miller [72] | 2016 | USA | Cohort | 24 h | Clinical care | < 120 | postnatal depression, quality of life, fatigue |
| Maeda [73] | 2019 | Japan | Cohort | 4–6 days | Research | < 100 | postnatal depression |
| Eckerdal [74] | 2016 | Sweden | Cohort | at discharge from hospital | Clinical care | < 110 | postnatal depression |
| Goshtasebi [75] | 2013 | Iran | Cohort | immediately after birth | Research | < 110 | postnatal depression |
| Alharbi [76] | 2014 | Saudi Arabia | Cohort (retrospective) | unclear | Clinical care | < 110 | postnatal depression |
| Armony-Sivan [77] | 2012 | China | Cohort | 3 days | Research | < 110 | postnatal depression at 6 weeks |
| Corwin [78] | 2003 | USA | Cohort (retrospective) | 24 h | Home | < 120 | postnatal depression, breastfeeding continuation |
a “Research” does not mean that automated analyzers were used or that the methods were similar or comparable
bRandomized controlled trial
cNot reported