Question

Assertion (A): Ferrous sulphate should not be given to pregnant women who are at high risk of PIH.

Reason (R): Ferrous sulphate increases free radicals which induce serum lipid peroxide formation.

• A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
• B. Both A and R are true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.
• C. A is true but R is false.
• D. A is false but R is true.

Hint:

Extra iron in a woman with adequate stores can fuel free radical generation, worsening oxidative vascular injury.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

This question links routine iron supplementation to the oxidative stress theory behind pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH).

1. Assertion: In women who already have enough iron stores, adding more ferrous sulphate through routine supplementation gives the body extra free iron that is not really needed. In those at high risk of PIH, this is considered unwise, so the assertion holds true.
2. Reason: Free iron acts as a catalyst that generates reactive free radicals, and these free radicals attack lipids in cell membranes, producing lipid peroxides. This is an accurate description of the underlying chemistry, so the reason is true as well.

PIH is linked to oxidative injury to blood vessel walls, and the iron-driven free radical pathway described in the reason is precisely the mechanism used to justify caution with iron in high risk women. So the reason is not just true, it is the actual explanation for the assertion.

Let's summarize:

• PIH involves oxidative injury to blood vessels.
• Excess free iron fuels free radical generation and lipid peroxidation.
• This is why routine iron supplementation is questioned in women already at high risk of PIH.

So the final answer is: both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.