Differences in the effectiveness of boiled sweet potato leaves and moringa leaves on increasing Hb levels in pregnant women

Abstract

Iron deficiency anemia is a common health problem during pregnancy and is associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Locally available iron-rich plants may provide complementary nutritional support for improving hemoglobin (Hb) levels. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of sweet potato leaves (Ipomoea batatas) and moringa leaves (Moringa oleifera) in increasing Hb levels among anemic pregnant women. A pre-experimental study was conducted at Weda Community Health Center, Indonesia. Pregnant women diagnosed with anemia were recruited using total sampling. Participants received a complementary nutritional intervention consisting of either sweet potato leaves or moringa leaves. Hb levels were measured before and after the intervention. Within-group changes were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, while the Mann–Whitney U test was used to compare the effectiveness of the two interventions. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The sweet potato leaf intervention did not significantly increase Hb levels (p = 0.223). In contrast, moringa leaf consumption significantly increased Hb levels (p = 0.018). Comparative analysis indicated that moringa leaves were more effective than sweet potato leaves in improving Hb levels. These findings suggest that moringa leaves may serve as a potential complementary nutritional intervention for anemia during pregnancy. Further studies with larger samples and more rigorous designs are warranted to confirm these findings.