Abstract

ABSTRACT: Supplemental iron (excluding the amount in prenatal vitamins) is routinely recommended post par turn by standard obstetric textbooks. We surveyed practicing obstetricians in Maryland to examine their indications for and prescription of postpartum ironsupplements. The. survey was returned by 201 physicians (33% response rate). Iron was prescribed by 25% of the physicians always, 12% never, and 63% depending upon the patient. An average of 37% of postpartum patients were given iron. The most frequently cited indication for prescribing iron was-the postpartum hematocrit level (used by 90% of the physicians),followed by high blood loss (41%), operative delivery (15%), mean corpuscular volume (12%), and toxemia (9%). The postpartum iron dosage (325 nig) was prescribed as a singledaily dose by 22%, twice daily by 37%, and three times daily by 32%. These practices do not correspond to the current recommendation that postpartum iron should always be prescribed.