Hull JC, Bloch EM, Ingram C, et al. - In South Africa, increased peripartum transfusion requirement has been recorded in correlation with antenatal anemia. Researchers herein conducted a prospective cohort study with the aim to determine if HIV is linked with the response to treatment of iron‐deficiency anemia. They enrolled a total of 469 women. Of these women, 51% were HIV+, 90% of whom were on antiretroviral therapy (with a mean CD4+ lymphocyte count of 403 cells/mm ³ ). Slower but successful hemoglobin recovery was observed with iron therapy among women who were HIV+ with iron‐deficiency anemia vs those who were HIV−. The incidence of peripartum blood transfusion can be reduced with undertaking earlier effective management of iron deficiency.