Efficacy and Safety of Feroxyl® in Pregnant Libyan Women From Second Trimester Onward: A Prospective Observational Study

Introduction: Ferrous bis-glycinate is an oral iron preparation that shows great efficacy in increasing Hb and ferritin levels in pregnant women and children with iron deficiency anemia (IDA). It has been found to be more bioavailable and associated with fewer gastrointestinal side effects compared to iron salts. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the effects of Feroxyl®, a combination of ferrous bis-glycinate and vitamins C, D, B9, and B12 on hemoglobin (Hb) and ferritin levels and other hematological outcomes such as mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and to report the occurrence of any side effects. Methods: This prospective chart review was conducted on 50 pregnant women with moderate or mild IDA at gestational ages between 20 and 32 weeks. Clinical examination and blood tests for Hb, complete blood count, and serum iron indices were performed at baseline and 6-week follow-up visits. Results: Supplementation with Feroxyl® demonstrated significant improvements in hematological parameters including Hb and serum ferritin levels, MCV, MCH, and MCHC, which increased significantly (p<0.001) compared to baseline. The study also highlighted the tolerability of Feroxyl®, showing that 70.7% of participants experienced no adverse events after 6 weeks of supplementation. Conclusions: Feroxyl® supplementation for 6 weeks is both effective and well tolerated for the treatment of IDA in pregnant women, significantly improving Hb and serum ferritin levels and other blood parameters, with a low incidence of side effects.