Iron Levels

[Babybump87]

Had my 31 weeks midwife checkup on Wednesday and the midwife said my iron was very low at 9.9 HB.

Has anyone had any experience of this?. I've never had low iron etc before.

Will this have any impact on labour etc. She's prescribed me two iron tablets per day. Kinda worried in case my levels don't pick up

I'm not seeing her again until 35 weeks

Thanks x

 

[Bebedeux]

Mine was 7 at 29weeks I got two units of blood. I constantly felt hungover, sweaty and lethargic. I'm on galfer twice a day until baby is born I had a pph on my son. Again got 4units transfusion.

Take your iron keep it up and plenty of fluids. It goes up quite quick aswel mine went up within the week.

 

[stormcloud96]

Mine are also very low when they were find before. I was told by third Tri something like 80% are low. I'm at an 8 and since they don't want to wait I'm getting a transfusion on Monday or Tuesday at 29 weeks

 

[littlesteph]

9.9 isn't very low, it's low but I wouldn't say it was very low.
that's because mine was around that with my last and I was told it was a little low.
mine this time round I think the midwife said was 9.

 

[2have4kids]

Low iron is linked to post partum depression and cognitive problems with baby (later on in life). ADD, ADHD, and learning disabilities have been cited by the World Health Organization as outcomes of preventable anemia during pregnancy.

I don't understand why doctors and midwives recommend pill form iron though. It's super hard to digest iron pills and the most common complaint is massive constipation. Floradix or Spatone liquid iron is SO much easier on you and you'll wind up absorbing it more than a pill form.

 

[Breadsticks]

I had low iron when I was pregnant with my daughter. Still do actually. Try to eat iron rich foods and take your iron supplements as directed. Don't take them with milk since calcium hinders your body's absorption of iron.

I had no issues during labor. I did lose a lot of blood but thankfully did not need a transfusion. I had been told I had low iron around 20ish weeks and the doctor guaranteed that I'd need a transfusion after labor (if not sooner) if I didn't take my iron supplements. I stuck to them though and the difference in my energy levels after about a week was insane! I felt like a whole new person.

My daughter is two now and a very happy, healthy girl

 

[Bevziibubble]

I had low iron when I lost a lot of blood in labour last time. Blood transfusions helped a little but I had to turn go on iron.


I've recently found out I'm anaemic again so I'm on iron tablets again.

 

[LilianA]

I get anemic with every pregnancy and im put on iron tablets till birth and afterwards too but it never had any effect on the birth itself

 

[Babybump87]

Thanks for all your replies. You ladies seem to have/had lower levels than mine not sure why she said mine are very low in the grand scheme of things lol.

I already eat alot of veg and fruit. I've upped my water in take too . I am not looking forward to the constipation everyone seems to get! Xx

 

[Bebedeux]

Thanks for all your replies. You ladies seem to have/had lower levels than mine not sure why she said mine are very low in the grand scheme of things lol.

I already eat alot of veg and fruit. I've upped my water in take too . I am not looking forward to the constipation everyone seems to get! Xx

Florvital is great, you drink it and it has high b12 which is great for the absorption of iron. It tastes a bit Ick you can take it twice a day it's pricey but good. And no constipation either. Take it now because you've a little while to go. The higher your HB after the birth the better for you, you'll have more energy for you and baba.

 

[2have4kids]

Thanks for all your replies. You ladies seem to have/had lower levels than mine not sure why she said mine are very low in the grand scheme of things lol.

I already eat alot of veg and fruit. I've upped my water in take too . I am not looking forward to the constipation everyone seems to get! Xx

You don't need to deal with constipation - it's more a choice than anything else. You can choose to take iron pills and deal with constipation or try liquid iron (as a few posters including myself have mentioned) taken with OJ and avoid dairy. Veg really isn't the best iron source and fruit has next to no iron in it. You'd have to eat close to 30 heaping plates of spinach to get your 28-30mg/day and after all that veg has non-haem iron which doesn't absorb very well. Steak & red meat, on the ither hand is haem iron which will absorb far better than veggie sources.
Nutritiondata.com has accurate info about iron levels in veg, fruits, or meat sources.

 

[Willow82]

Thanks for all your replies. You ladies seem to have/had lower levels than mine not sure why she said mine are very low in the grand scheme of things lol.

I already eat alot of veg and fruit. I've upped my water in take too . I am not looking forward to the constipation everyone seems to get! Xx

You might be lucky and not get constipated. I'm on iron tablets 3 times a day and got a bit worried when I started reading about the potential side effects. However, I've been absolutely fine. No constipation at all so far.

 

[Babybump87]

Thanks for all your replies. You ladies seem to have/had lower levels than mine not sure why she said mine are very low in the grand scheme of things lol.

I already eat alot of veg and fruit. I've upped my water in take too . I am not looking forward to the constipation everyone seems to get! Xx

You don't need to deal with constipation - it's more a choice than anything else. You can choose to take iron pills and deal with constipation or try liquid iron (as a few posters including myself have mentioned) taken with OJ and avoid dairy. Veg really isn't the best iron source and fruit has next to no iron in it. You'd have to eat close to 30 heaping plates of spinach to get your 28-30mg/day and after all that veg has non-haem iron which doesn't absorb very well. Steak & red meat, on the ither hand is haem iron which will absorb far better than veggie sources.
Nutritiondata.com has accurate info about iron levels in veg, fruits, or meat sources.

I have a GP appointment next week so going to speak to him about the liquid iron. Thanks for info and link will have a look at that site