Effect of Mobile Phone Call Reminders With Standard Therapy Versus Standard Therapy Alone on Compliance With Iron Supplementation in Antenatal Women With Iron Deficiency Anemia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Introduction In spite of the implementation of the National nutritional anemia prophylaxis program in India, the prevalence of anemia during pregnancy is 50 in 100 women. One main cause for the high frequency of anemia among antenatal women in India is a lack of iron consumption. Few studies are available in the literature where efforts have been made to improve compliance with iron therapy. In the same line of thinking, it was decided in the present study to use mobile phone calls as a reminder for iron tablets. Method The present study is a randomized controlled open-label trial. Antenatal women with gestational age between 13-28 weeks of pregnancy diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia (Hb - 8 to 11 gm/dl) having mobile phones were included in the study. Recruited women were randomized into two groups of study groups receiving standard therapy with the addition of fortnightly mobile phone call reminders and a control group receiving standard therapy alone. Results Compliance with iron supplementation was observed higher in the study group as compared to the control group (range of 48% to 93%). There was a mean hemoglobin rise in both the groups at the time of delivery compared with the hemoglobin at the time of recruitment (Study group- 9.74 to 10.69, Control group- 9.48 to 10.06). There was a statistically higher (0.00001) increase in the mean hemoglobin concentration in the study group (0.96 gm/dl) as compared to the control group (0.59 gm/dl). The reasons for poor compliance were boredom with taking daily oral iron therapy (66.66%), constipation (3.7%), forgetfulness (14.81%), and heartburn (14.81%). There was no statistical difference in the reason for poor compliance with iron supplementation in both groups. Conclusion The present study concludes that mobile phone call reminders along with standard therapy with iron supplementation improve compliance with iron supplementation and lead to a greater rise in hemoglobin in antenatal women with iron deficiency anemia.

Keywords: compliance; iron-deficiency anaemia; mobile phone call reminder; oral iron supplementation; pregnant women.

Figure 1. Recruitment and retention of the study population