The Govt. of India has recommended dosage of elemental iron during pregnancy?

KPSC Staff Nurse - 2015

Obstetrics and Midwifery Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: KPSC Staff Nurse - 2015

Explanation

The Government of India's national program for preventing anemia recommends a daily prophylactic dose of 100 mg of elemental iron.
This is combined with 500 mcg (0.5 mg) of folic acid in a single Iron-Folic Acid (IFA) tablet.
This regimen is initiated after the first trimester (around 14-16 weeks) and is intended for all pregnant women to build iron stores and prevent anemia.
The goal is to cover at least 180 days during pregnancy and continue for 180 days in the postpartum period.

Option A: A dose of 50 mg/day is insufficient to meet the increased iron demands during pregnancy as recommended by the Indian national health program.
Option C: 150 mg/day is not a standard recommended dose for either prophylaxis or therapy under the Government of India's guidelines.
Option D: This is the standard therapeutic dose, not the prophylactic dose. The question asks for the general recommended dosage, which implies the standard for all pregnant women (prophylaxis).

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Recommended elemental iron dosage during pregnancy as per Indian government guidelines as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a pivotal role in the Anemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy by distributing IFA tablets, counseling pregnant women on adherence, diet, and side effect management, and monitoring hemoglobin levels during antenatal check-ups.
Effective implementation of this iron supplementation program is a critical public health intervention to reduce India's maternal mortality ratio (MMR) and infant mortality rate (IMR), as anemia is a major contributor to both.
What if? If a pregnant woman reports severe gastrointestinal intolerance (e.g., persistent nausea, vomiting) to the 100 mg tablet, the nurse should first assess the timing and method of intake (e.g., taking it after a meal). If symptoms persist, the woman should be referred to a medical officer who might consider alternative formulations or parenteral iron therapy, especially if anemia is already present.

How to Approach the Question

Identify the key elements of the question: 'Govt. of India', 'recommended dosage', 'elemental iron', and 'pregnancy'.
Recognize this as a factual recall question based on a specific national health program.
Differentiate between the standard dose for all pregnant women (prophylaxis) and the dose for women who are already anemic (therapy). The question implies the standard prophylactic dose.
Recall that the national program standardizes the prophylactic dose at 100 mg of elemental iron.
Compare this value to the options provided. Note that 200 mg/day is the therapeutic dose, making it a common distractor.
Select the option that matches the standard prophylactic dose.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Recommended elemental iron dosage during pregnancy as per Indian government guidelines.
Stem keywords: Govt. of India, dosage, elemental iron, pregnancy
Lead-in keywords: BEST, MOST RELEVANT CLUE

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E6 Comprehensive Textbook of Community Health Nursing for BSc Nursing Students Part 2 — Subpart A (pp 1-275 of 550) p. 202-204