Iron Deficiency During Pregnancy

Iron deficiency means the body doesn’t have enough iron, which is needed to carry oxygen through the blood. Hemoglobin is a protein in the blood that moves oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body, and iron is a key part of it. When there isn’t enough iron, the blood can’t carry enough oxygen, which can lead to a condition called anemia.

If your doctor or nurse tells you to take iron pills, you may consider starting with:

• Ferrous Fumarate 300mg
• Euro Fer 300mg
• Ferrous Gluconate 300mg
• Feramax 150mg 

Try to take the pills on an empty stomach about 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals. You may need to take iron with food to avoid an upset stomach.

Do not take calcium products (antacids, drink milk or caffeine drinks) at the same time or within 2 hours of the time that you take your iron. They can prevent your body from absorbing the iron.

Take Vitamin C (from food or supplements) with your iron to help the iron absorb. Try taking iron pills with a glass of orange juice, lemon water or food high in vitamin C.

Iron pills may cause dark GREEN stool and stomach problems, such as heartburn,
nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and cramps. Be sure to drink plenty of water and
include fruits, vegetables, and plenty of fibre in your diet each day.

If you are constipated, try the following:

• increasing water intake (2 liters daily)
• walking daily
• fibrous fruits, vegetables
• fibre supplements such as Metamucil
• Laxatives such as Restor-a-lax are available over the counter if needed. Avoid Senokot as it can cause cramping.

Eat foods rich in iron. Examples include red meat, shellfish, poultry, eggs, beans, raisins, whole-grain bread, and leafy green vegetables.

Do not stop taking iron pills without talking to your doctor or nurse first. Even after you start to feel better, it will take several months for your body to build up a store of iron. Call your family doctor or nurse call line if you think you are having a problem with your iron pills. If you miss a pill, do not take a double dose of iron.

Talk to your doctor about any cravings for non-food items such as dirt, ashes, clay, or chalk. These cravings can be a sign of iron deficiency anemia.

To learn more about iron deficiency, please review the curated resources below.

Resources

Handout on iron deficiency during pregnancy by GynQI
https://gynqi.com/iron-deficiency/

Information on iron deficiency by Sunnybrook Hospital. Includes examples of food with high iron in them:
https://sunnybrook.ca/content/?page=iron-deficiency-supplements-pregnancy