Can treating anemia before pregnancy stop it later?
NCT ID NCT07811765
First seen Sep 10, 2026 · Last updated Sep 18, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
Researchers compare two strategies for finding and treating iron deficiency anemia in women who plan to become pregnant. One group gets screening and iron supplements before conception, while the other gets screening and treatment at 12 weeks of pregnancy. The trial measures how many women have iron deficiency anemia in late pregnancy and tracks outcomes for mothers and infants.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- oral ferrous succinate plus vitamin C
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could show that treating iron deficiency before conception prevents anemia better than waiting until early pregnancy, which may improve outcomes for mothers and babies.
- What could go wrong
- The trial may find no difference between the two timing strategies, or that preconception screening is harder to deliver in practice. Iron supplements can cause stomach upset, and the results may not apply to regions with different anemia causes.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 960 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jul 2026
- Expected to finish
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Jul 2029
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 45 years
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Women aged 18-45 years * Residence in a participating township * Intention to attempt natural conception within 6 months after enrollment * Ability to complete the required study procedures * Ability and willingness to provide written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * 1.Non-iron deficiency anemia or other hematologic disorders: thalassemia, sickle cell anemia, anemia of chronic disease, and other hematologic conditions will be excluded based on complete blood count findings (including hemoglobin concentration) in combination with questionnaire assessment. Renal insufficiency (eGFR \<45 mL/min/1.73 m²) 2: hepatic insufficiency (ALT or AST \>3 times the upper limit of normal) 3: uncontrolled heart disease (New York Heart Association \[NYHA\] functional class III-IV) Acute or chronic infections, including HIV infection, active tuberculosis, and uncontrolled hepatitis B Multiple pregnancy 4: current pregnancy complicated by major fetal malformations or chromosomal abnormalities 5: history or current diagnosis of preeclampsia, placental abruption, or placenta previa History of hypersensitivity to intravenous iron therapy or iron overload disorders 6: receipt of blood transfusion or intravenous iron therapy within 1 month before enrollment Psychiatric disorders or cognitive impairment that would interfere with study participation or compliance with study procedures
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Yanjin County Maternal and Child Health Hospital
RECRUITINGZhaotong, Yunnan, 657500, China
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Could heart failure drugs boost oral Iron's power against anemia?