Research Proposal: A Systematic Review of Anaemia, Iron Supplementation, and the Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes (Research Proposal Sample)

Research Proposal: A Systematic Review of Anaemia, Iron Supplementation, and the Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Student’s Name Institution of Affiliation Professor Class Date Research Proposal: A Systematic Review of Anaemia, Iron Supplementation, and the Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Introduction Anemia in pregnancy is dangerous for the mother and fetus, hence, many women are advised to take iron. Though iron supplementation is linked to anemia and unfavorable pregnancy outcomes by many researchers, the exact cause is still poorly accepted (Rahman et al., 2020). Defining this link is the first major step towards improving maternal and fetal health. Therefore, this proposal is a systematic review which is aimed to analyze the existing evidence and examine the relationship between anaemia, iron supplementation, and adverse pregnancy outcomes, which will help us to develop global community healthcare practices. Rationale The rationale of the study is that pregnancy is a crucial period of life with profound physiological changes during which, careful attention to maternal health is vital. The existence of a global threat known as anemia during pregnancy, which is marked by insufficient red blood cells or hemoglobin, affects about 32 million pregnant women globally and is more prevalent in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) which lack prenatal care resources (Rahman et al., 2020). Maternal anaemia is closely linked to preterm delivery, low birth weight, and high maternal mortality, which perpetuate health and socio-economic difficulties across generations. As a reaction, iron supplementation, inevitable in a global prenatal care, is aimed to correct or prevent anaemia by enhancing blood formation (Zhang et al., 2021). However, while iron supplementation is used extensively, its ability to prevent the development of adverse pregnancy outcomes is still being questioned. In this proposal I want to conduct a systematic review and all iron supplementation studies around the world to address the negative effects anaemia has on pregnancy outcomes. The study is meant to sensitize and improve global antenatal care by providing a detailed description of iron supplementation's effect on maternal and fetal health. Objectives Specifically, we aim to address the following key objectives: * To determine the incidence of anaemia among pregnant women and the relationship to poor pregnancy outcomes. * To evaluate the efficiency of iron supplementation during pregnancy in the prevention of the negative pregnancy outcomes related to anaemia (Dorsamy et al., 2022). * Identify whether the supplementing of iron during pregnancy causes any adverse effects or complications. PICO In pregnant women with anaemia (Population), does iron supplementation during pregnancy (Intervention) compared to no iron supplementation or alternative interventions (Comparison) affect the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preterm birth, low birth weight, maternal morbidity, and perinatal mortality (Outcome)? Through the systematic and comprehensive review of the literature, we search for the gaps in the already available data, inconsistency in reported findings, and determine the areas which require further research. Through this synthesis, we will be able to give guidelines on the best iron supplementation approach and the best practices of prenatal care in order to reduce the burden of anemia and its negative consequences for pregnant women (Dorsamy et al., 2022). Methods The proposed systematic review will follow the established standards for conducting and reporting systematic reviews, including the Preferred Reporting items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A comprehensive search strategy will be developed to identify relevant studies from electronic databases such as PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library, as well as gray literature sources (Zhang et al., 2021). The inclusion criteria will be clearly defined so that only the studies that are relevant to this review will be chosen. The study will use sources for the past 5 years, 2024-2019. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases will be searched and used to extract the sources. Additionally, Cohort studies, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), systematic reviews, and meta-analyses will be included. Grey literature sources especially those focusing on Global coverage with a focus on Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), will also be included for comprehensive coverage. In terms of the exclusion criteria, all studies prior to 2019, non-English articles, and all those that lack clear methodology will be excluded. Quality evaluati...