Iron requirements during pregnancy

[M D]

I had an Ob appointment on Monday and he said my iron levels were a little low and to eat more red meat. The problem is I really don't like red meat much and struggle to eat dinner at the best of times as I am just not hungry.

I take a pg multi vitamin atm, should I start taking an iron tablet as well? I just don't want it to get worse and make me more tired. I will bring it up with the Ob again at my next appointment in 1.5 weeks but just wanted to hear your thoughts.

[Heaven]

Yes, I would start taking an iron tablet aswell. It's important for your iron levels to be up by the time you give birth. I take the blackmores multi and also an iron tablet.

[Reet]

My iron levels came back at 114 when they were meant to be 115 or over... so only just under. The ob. told me they wld get worse and to take an iron tablet each day cos the 'little vampire wld just keep sucking the life out of me'.. and those were his words too! He suggested Fefol from the chemist and not to go with the supermarket iron tablets cos they only have 5mg of iron whereas the Fefol has a lot more. They were only $12 for 30 tablets.. i think im just going to take 1 every 2nd day.. hopefully that boosts me back up! Ive heard they can cause constipation which i so dont need so i better up the fruit!
Good luck kts!

[M D]

Thanks girls, I think a trip to the Chemist/Health Food shop is required.

Did either of you suffer many side effects and how long till you started to feel better?

[Arimeh]

I started taking iron tablets when I found myself being really lethargic and it was hard to move - a total effort.

I got ones from the chemist, and no constipation issues at all, but I do feel much better. I also introduced meat into our diet just two days a week because we were following a vegetarian diet before that.

[Heaven]

Nope, no constipation or anything here either

[Jaycee]

I would definitely start taking an iron tablet.

I am having to take 2 tablets a day as my iron levels were extremely low, if they're still as low at my next appointment I will need to have an iron transfusion.

I've had a little trouble with constipation, but that's more likely due to the fact that I need 2 tablets a day, but I have been able to combat the problem by taking some fibre tablets too and all is good

[M D]

AE & Jaycee - what brand do you take? and what dosage?

[emc2]

You could try googling lists of food, have a look at which foods have iron in them and which foods have vitamin C which helps you absorb iron.

[Jaycee]

I take ferro-grad C, it's got vitamin C in it, which helps to absorb the iron quicker. I take 2 tablets per day, but that is recommended by my midwife as my iron levels are extremely low. I'd suggest you only need 1 a day.

[M D]

Ok so now I am confussed. The Blackmores multi I take has 5mg of iron in it, the RDI is 27mg for pregnant women. The ferro-grad I just looked up has 105 mg of elemental iron in it? The last thing I want to be doing is taking too much.

[emc2]

Only a certain amount gets absorbed so don't panic.

I would still eat food from different sources, in fact there's undiscovered nutrients in food that they don't know what effect they have.

[berrme]

My dr put me on all sorts of vitamins in doses well above the recommended daily intake. When I questioned it he said that the general consensus was that recommended doses were generally way lower than what can safely be taken, especially when pregnant. He showed me a book containing tables of safe dosage ranges for iron and folate and they went up to about 20 times what they say you 'need' in a day. So long story short, don't worry about ODing on iron.

I had to take the serious iron tablets after my c/s with DS1 as I lost a lot of blood. They made me constipated and my poo black. Not pleasant, but better than serious anaemia. I think I was on 3 a day which is quite a lot.
I take extra iron now, but only the supermarket ones as I don't actually have an iron problem yet. My ob might suggest something more hardcore later on as I know my levels got a bit low in the third tri the last 2 times.

[TaRhLi.]

If you have low iron levels I would say to tak ean iron tablet as well as your multi vitamin. When I was pregnant with DD it wasn't noticed until I was 36 weeks that my iron level was too low and I was borderline aneamic. So I started taking iron tablets straight away but it wasn't enough time to build up my iron levels so I was at risk of having to have a blood transfusion after delivery if I lost too much blood, plus being aneamic delayed my milk coming in as well.

This time around as soon as I got my BFP I was on the multivitamin and iron supplements (ferro-gradumet C) and this was before we knew it was twins. I am also taking Calcium supplements and additional Folate and so far I have had no side effects from all the vitamins and both my boys are growing like little champs.

[bbhappy]

Hiya,
Like Jaycee I am taking ferro-grad c too, 1 a day, my iron levels were really low at 28 - 29 weeks , I was sooooo tired, but feeling much better after 3 weeks on them and eating more red meat too. I take a preggie multi too. I was really worried about constipation and haemeroids, but so far so good, no problems.

[sconeonamission]

I take ferro-grad C, it's got vitamin C in it, which helps to absorb the iron quicker. I take 2 tablets per day, but that is recommended by my midwife as my iron levels are extremely low. I'd suggest you only need 1 a day.

I have low iron too (at the last test a week and half ago, it was only at 97), and it had dropped, even after I was eating more foods with iron in. I made an effort - and failed!! lol

My sister recommended ferro-grad C, but I have no idea how much it costs, or where to get it from. I have just been taking Floradix - a liquid iron supplement.

The health food shop also recommended this stuff (I can't remember what it was called) but you mix the sachet with some orange juice to help absorb it better/faster.

My problem is - I KNOW I have low iron, but I just can't bring myself to pay money to fix me...

If you do take iron supplements, take them with vitamin c or orange juice, and stay away from caffeine and other inhibitors for about 30 mins after the iron intake.

Best of luck xx

[Arimeh]

I take the ferro grad c as well. Any extra that isn't absorbed expels out if your body so don't worry about over dosing on it, my poo went a bit green there for awhile lol

[M D]

Well I have just bought the Ferro grad c - so I'll see how I go.

Thanks Girls!!

OUt of interest does anyone take a probiotic?