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Abstract

This study evaluates the bio-efficacy of daily guava pulp juice intake as a natural intervention for postpartum anemia (PPA). PPA is a global health concern, defined as hemoglobin levels of 11 g/dl or lower within the first 42 days after delivery, affecting a considerable proportion of women worldwide. While conventional iron supplementation is effective, challenges such as gastrointestinal side effects often reduce patient compliance, highlighting the need for safe and well-tolerated alternatives. Guava, a fruit rich in vitamin C, enhances the absorption of non-heme iron, making it a promising dietary option. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial investigated the impact of guava pulp juice on key anemia biomarkers in postpartum anemic females. The intervention group demonstrated statistically significant improvements in hemoglobin concentration, serum ferritin, transferrin saturation, and means corpuscular volume, along with notable reductions in total iron-binding capacity, soluble transferrin receptor, and zinc protoporphyrin levels compared with the placebo group. These findings suggest that guava pulp juice has strong potential as an accessible, practical, and well-tolerated dietary supplement for the management of postpartum anemia, warranting further validation through large-scale clinical studies.