Summary of findings 3. Oral iron compared with placebo (Comparison 3).
| Oral iron compared with placebo for women with postpartum iron deficiency anaemia | ||||||
| Patient or population: women with postpartum iron deficiency anaemia Settings: obstetric care units Intervention: oral iron Comparison: placebo | ||||||
| Outcomes | Illustrative comparative risks* (95% CI) | Relative effect (95% CI) | No of Participants (studies) | Quality of the evidence (GRADE) | Comments | |
| Assumed risk | Corresponding risk | |||||
| Placebo | Oral iron | |||||
| Maternal mortality ‐ not reported | See comment | See comment | Not estimable | ‐ | See comment | Not reported. |
| Fatigue ‐ not reported | See comment | See comment | Not estimable | ‐ | See comment | Not reported. |
| Persistent anaemia symptoms Reported by the women Follow‐up: mean 42 days | Study population | Not estimable | (1) | See comment | Symptoms of anaemia were not reported for the anaemic groups separately. | |
| See comment | See comment | |||||
| Moderate | ||||||
| All gastrointestinal symptoms Reported by the patients Follow‐up: mean 30 days | Study population | RR 1 (0.36 to 2.79) | 68 (1 study) | ⊕⊝⊝⊝ very low1,2,3 | ||
| 176 per 1000 | 176 per 1000 (64 to 492) | |||||
| Moderate | ||||||
| 177 per 1000 | 177 per 1000 (64 to 494) | |||||
| Constipation ‐ not reported | See comment | See comment | Not estimable | ‐ | See comment | Not reported. |
| *The basis for the assumed risk (e.g. the median control group risk across studies) is provided in footnotes. The corresponding risk (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI). CI: Confidence interval; RR: Risk ratio. | ||||||
| GRADE Working Group grades of evidence High quality: Further research is very unlikely to change our confidence in the estimate of effect. Moderate quality: Further research is likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and may change the estimate. Low quality: Further research is very likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate. Very low quality: We are very uncertain about the estimate. | ||||||
1 Downgraded two levels due to risk of bias: open‐label design combined with a subjective outcome measure. 2 Downgraded one level due to imprecision: small sample size, single study ‐ likely to lower confidence in effect. 3 Downgraded one level due to study limitations: adverse events not reported separately.