Iron is a crucial mineral for your body in the production of the proteins, enzymes, and collagen it needs to function properly. So it's important for you to get enough iron at all times. But it's especially important to consume adequate amounts of iron when you're pregnant, because your body's need for it increases when it's supporting a baby. Prenatal iron supplements can help you get the iron you and baby need.
Requirements
Pregnant women should make sure that they consume at least 27 mg of iron every day, significantly more than the 18 mg that women who aren't pregnant need each day, reports Baby Center.com, which adds that most women begin their pregnancies without enough iron stored in their blood. The Mayo Clinic says that it's still possible to get enough iron from food in your diet during the first three months of pregnancy --- especially if you eat meat, which is the best food source of iron --- but taking an iron supplement is usually necessary during the final six months of pregnancy to properly support a growing baby.
Benefits
Taking prenatal iron supplements can prevent a condition called iron-deficiency anemia that prevents your body from making enough red blood cells, says the Mayo Clinic. Iron-deficiency anemia has been linked to low birth weights, premature deliveries and deaths among babies, Baby Center.com says. It also causes fatigue and a vulnerability to infections among expectant mothers. Baby Center.com adds that there's also a link between iron-deficiency anemia and postpartum depression, as well as a greater need for blood transfusions at delivery among mothers who have iron-deficiency anemia than among those who have gotten enough iron during their pregnancy.
Side Effects
Prenatal iron supplements may cause some side effects, reports Baby Center.com, and the side effect that women most commonly experience from them is constipation. Other side effects from prenatal iron supplements include nausea, diarrhea, stomach cramping, dizziness, chills, fever, muscle pain, chest pain and headaches, the Mayo Clinic says. Your doctor should monitor the levels of iron in your blood regularly while you're taking prenatal iron supplements to make sure that you're getting the right amount of iron, advises the Mayo Clinic, which cautions that too much iron can harm you and your unborn baby just as not enough iron can.
Member Comments