Iron tablets During pregnancy

Some common issues are:

• The baby is small than its gestational age.
• Premature birth
• Low birth weight baby

Therefore, iron intake is necessary for pregnant women. Along with this, it is also helpful in enhancing the immune system, growth of the placenta, and help to prevent infant mortality.

When to Start Taking Iron Tablets During Pregnancy

Generally, doctors recommend not to take iron supplements until the woman completes their 12 weeks pregnancy because the first 12 weeks are a crucial time of pregnancy and give harmful effects on the fetus. After 12 weeks to till the time of delivery a woman can take the iron intake to fulfill their blood requirement and immunity system.

Doctors recommend daily iron and folic acid supplements to pregnant women to prevent maternal anemia, low birth weight, puerperal sepsis, and preterm birth. The quantity of iron and folic acid supplement is 30 mg to 60 mg of iron and 0.4 mg of folic acid on a daily basis.

Best Time to Take Iron Tablets During Pregnancy

The perfect time to take iron supplements is one or two hours before or after meals because iron pills are absorbed will on an empty stomach. Doctors always recommend taking the iron tablets only with water as other foods such as tea, milk, coffee, etc., can deplete their value.

Some Iron Supplements List For Pregnancy

Along with various foods containing iron, doctors also prescribe iron supplements. It doesn’t mean that you have an iron deficiency, but your body needs more iron than usual intake along with prenatal vitamins with about 30 mg (iron).
There are some points about iron supplements which are needed to remember as follows:

• Take an appropriate dosage of iron supplements daily. If you skipped one, then, don’t take two the next day.
• Eat fiber-rich foods when you are on iron supplements. Iron tablets tend to harden the stool making it difficult to pass.
• Always check the manufacturing and expiry date of the supplement.
• In case of any allergic reactions immediately rush t the doctor.

Iron Tablets During Pregnancy First Trimester

There are quite a few reasons for not supplementing iron in the first trimester of pregnancy in women with no iron deficiency. The reasons include:

• Negligible demand by the embryo.
• During the first trimester, the intake of iron pills causes a lot of gastric problems.
• High iron stores in the body have been associated with malformations of the embryo in animal studies.

The demand for iron supplementation is inevitable in the second trimester of pregnancy. The iron demand from the growing embryo cannot be fulfilled by dietary iron alone and will lead to iron deficiency.