IFA (Iron-Folic Acid)

Regular use of Iron-Folic Acid (IFA) supplements protects a woman's health by helping her body store iron, and preventing a plunge into iron deficiency anemia (IDA) during pregnancy and delivery. IDA results in low birth-weight babies, morbidity, and maternal mortality. In addition, IFA provides a woman with sufficient folic acid before pregnancy, preventing neural tube defects that can occur during the first few weeks of fetal gestation.

The World Health Organization estimates that 43% of all women of reporductive age (WRA) living in the developing world have IDA. IDA during pregnancy results in more than 60,000 maternal deaths each year. Folic acid deficiency during pregnancy causes more than 200,000 neural tube defects. Many countries' attempts to combat iron deficiencies during pregnancy with the distribution of iron folate through prenatal clinics has proved less than successful because many women in developing countries do not seek prenatal treatment or do so too late to take advantage of iron folate

To help prevent iron deficiency anemia among women, PSI/India developed Vitalet-Preg, an iron-folic acid supplement designed specifically to meet the increased need for iron during pregnancy. PSI programs in India, Pakistan, Paraguay, Venezuela, Togo and Zambia market a "one-a-day" multivitamin containing iron, folic and other essential vitamins needed by women of reproductive age. These supplements, together with educational programs, improve the nutritional status of low income women before, during and after pregnancy.

Since 1999, PSI has helped over 320,000 women prevent iron deficiency anemia. Vitamin supplements can create large scale health impact at a cost of less then 1 cent per day per beneficiary.

• Back

In India, PSI markets the iron-folic acid tablet, Vitalet-Preg.