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Iron Supplementation in Postpartum Women

This document provides the most recent WHO guidelines for use of iron supplementation in postpartum women. The guidelines review evidence on safety and effectiveness to support policy-makers, economists, and technical and program staff in making informed decisions on appropriate nutrition actions in-line with the Sustainable Development Goals. The evidence suggests that in settings where gestational anemia is 20% or higher, oral iron supplementation can be given to postpartum women for 6-12 weeks following delivery, to reduce the risk of anemia. The guidelines specify that high doses of folate should be avoided in malaria endemic areas using sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, to not interfere with the efficacy of this antimalarial drug.

WHO, 2016