Spirulina Supplementation in Pregnant Women in the Dakar Region (Senegal)
by Khadim Niang, et al. 2017. Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2017, 7, 147-154 http://www.scirp.org/journal/ojog. ISSN Online: 2160-8806. ISSN Print: 2160-8792.
The fight against iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women is a public health prior-ity, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Spirulina is an alga very rich in iron, used as a dietary supplement. This research proposes to study its effect on the hemogloblobi-naemia of pregnant women. This was a blind randomized cohort study with a sup-plemented group of spirulina (1500 mg/d) and a second supplemented with iron and folic acid supplementation (IFAS). Included in this study were pregnant women at-tending four health centers in the Dakar region, with pregnancy at 28th amenorrhea, agreeing to participate and not having complications or twin pregnancies. Follow-up of the two groups was identical throughout the study from the 28th week of amenor- rhea to the 42nd postnatal day. The study was conducted among 920 women, evenly distributed among the groups. IFAS allowed a statistically significant increase in he-moglobinemia with an average gain of 0.3 g/dl between the 28th and 32nd weeks of amenorrhea (p = 0.022) and 0.2 g/dl between the 28th week and the delivery (p = 0.043). Spirulina supplementation showed statistically higher gains than those observed with IFAS. These gains were 0.48 g/dl between the 28th and 32nd weeks of amenorrhea and 0.36 g/dl between the 28th week and the delivery, with p values less than 0.001. Spirulina, more accessible to developing countries, is a good option to strengthen the arsenal of iron deficiency anemia control, and therefore maternal mortality.
