So, you have had your bloods done, and you have been told your haemoglobin is normal but your ferritin is low (aka your iron stores). It has been suggested to commence an iron supplement and recheck in 6wks.
Here is what I tell my clients…
As a guide:
It is recommended your
Hb (haemoglobin) be above 110
and
Fe (iron stores) >30.
Lets first start with why it is low.
There are a number of factors;
-
- Increased demand for iron
Your body needs more iron and also your baby needs iron (your baby is stockpiling as there is no iron in breastmilk, so they need enough to last them for the first 6months of their life).
- Increased demand for iron
-
- Low dietary intake
Vegetarian or Vegan diets – or non-haeme sources of iron aren’t as rich in iron so much larger amounts are required. Nausea and/or vomiting can obviously deplete the body or many important nutrients, including iron.
- Low dietary intake
-
- Haemodilution
You blood volume in pregnancy increases in preparation for the loss that happens at the time of birth; so there is the same number but in a lager volume.
- Haemodilution
These are some of the symptoms you might be feeling;
- Fatigue (tired), listless and weak
- short of breath, dizzy and light-headed
- Struggling to concentrate and remember things
- Performing poorly at work
- Getting infections
- Decreased libido (sex drive)
- Pale inside eye lids
Boosting your dietary intake of iron
(often dietary intake alone isn’t enough).
- Liver (limited to 50g per week due to high levels of Vitamin A which may be harmful to baby)
- Red meat
- Chicken
- Fish
- Legumes
- Nuts
- Wholegrains
- Green Leafy Veggies
- Dried Fruit
- Spirulina
- Nettle
- Dandelion
- Cacao
Vitamin C is great to assist in the absorption of iron, so pair your iron rich foods with these;
- Oranges
- Lemon
- Berries
- Kiwifruit
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Brussel Sprouts
- Capsicums
- Tomato
Calcium, caffeine and zinc inhibit the absorption of iron.
So avoid dairy and your morning coffee 2hours either side of your supplement.
It also means, if you are taking a pregnancy supplement, to take it at the opposite end of the day also. It’s crazy that most pregnancy supplements feature iron, but then also include calcium and zinc, inhibiting the absorption.
When choosing an iron supplement
I recommend you listen to The Great Birth Rebellion episode on Iron in pregnancy which features two varying approaches to supplementation.
https://www.melaniethemidwife.com/podcasts/the-great-birth-rebellion/episodes/2148996556
Jaclyn Cave (Nutritionist) also has a great blog post on her website which is worth a look –
Life Blood Australia (and there for hospitals) suggest synthetic supplements such as:
- Ferro Grad C
- Maltofer
- Ferro F Tab
Most women are happy taking these supplements and it works for them.
I do find that for some women in my clinic, they find these cause gastrointestinal issues such as constipation, diarrhoea and often it doesn’t even increase the iron levels.
Melanie Jackson (From the Great Birth Rebellion) recommends more natural and easily absorbed irons such as a combination of:
– Spartone
– Floridix
– Iron biglycinate
– Organ meat supplement
These come in a much lower dose compared to a synthetic iron supplement but are usually better absorbed. I have seen some good results with this approach too.
If by 36wks gestation your Ferritin levels haven’t increased and/or your haemoglobin has also decreased below 110 (this is often because once your iron stores have depleted then your haemoglobin may start to drop) it may be recommended to have an iron infusion to rapidly increase prior to birth.
As always this is not advice, just some extra information that you may want to consider and discuss with your care provider.
Have a great weekend.
A.x
