Author(s)

Khadim Niang¹, Papa Ndiaye², Adama Faye¹, Jean Augustin Diégane Tine¹, Fatou Bintou Diongue¹, Maty Diagne Camara¹, Mamadou Makhtar Leye¹, Anta Tal-Dia¹

¹Health and Development Institute (ISED) of Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar (UCAD), Dakar, Senegal.
²Public Health Department of Gaston Berger University (UGB), Saint-Louis, Senegal.

The fight against iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women is a public health priority, 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 hemogloblobinaemia of pregnant women. This was a blind randomized cohort study with a supplemented group of spirulina (1500 mg/d) and a second supplemented with iron and folic acid supplementation (IFAS). Included in this study were pregnant women attending four health centers in the Dakar region, with pregnancy at 28^th amenorrhea, agreeing to participate and not having complications or twin pregnancies. Follow-up of the two groups was identical throughout the study from the 28^th week of amenorrhea to the 42^nd postnatal day. The study was conducted among 920 women, evenly distributed among the groups. IFAS allowed a statistically significant increase in hemoglobinemia with an average gain of 0.3 g/dl between the 28^th and 32^nd weeks of amenorrhea (p = 0.022) and 0.2 g/dl between the 28^th 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 28^th and 32^nd 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.

Maternal Mortality, Spirulina, Iron, Anemia, Supplementation, Senegal

Niang, K. , Ndiaye, P. , Faye, A. , Tine, J. , Diongue, F. , Camara, M. , Leye, M. and Tal-Dia, A. (2017) Spirulina Supplementation in Pregnant Women in the Dakar Region (Senegal). Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 7, 147-154. doi: 10.4236/ojog.2017.71016.