Category: iron deficiency in pregnancy

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Low Iron In Pregnancy: Symptoms and Treatment

low iron in pregnancy symptoms

Developing iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy can lead to a number of severe complications for both the baby and the mother. There is an increased risk of low birth weight for the baby and a chance of premature delivery. Low iron in pregnancy symptoms leads to reduced muscle function, making physical exertion difficult for pregnant women. There are consequences after birth as well, including increased tiredness and a reduction in milk production.

Low Iron in Pregnancy Symptoms

Low iron reduces the body’s ability to effectively transport oxygen due to reduced red blood cell production. This is of particular concern to pregnant women, whose blood supply can increase up to 50 percent during pregnancy. There are a variety of symptoms that can indicate low iron. Increased tiredness is one of the most common low iron in pregnancy symptoms. Further symptoms can include breathlessness and dizziness.

As trying as these symptoms may be during pregnancy, there are more severe iron deficiency symptoms in some cases. Heart palpitations can occur, leading to further complications and distress. Chest pains are another symptom that is cause for serious concern. Iron deficiency can be verified using a blood test that checks hemoglobin levels.

Risk Factors for Iron Deficiency During Pregnancy

Several risk factors can increase a pregnant woman’s chance of developing iron deficiency. Those who have suffered from low iron before pregnancy are at increased risk of developing a more serious deficiency. There are several blood conditions that can contribute to iron deficiency.

Furthermore, gastrointestinal conditions can reduce iron absorption, meaning that the body cannot absorb dietary iron. Risk is also increased in women carrying twins or triplets, women under 20 years of age, and those who have given birth within the previous year.

Risk Factors for Iron Deficiency During Pregnancy

Low Iron Treatment During Pregnancy

Prescribed treatments vary by the term of the pregnancy. If a woman is past 36 weeks, there is significant concern that many treatments will not take effect before the birth. In this case, a doctor will often prescribe an intravenous iron infusion directly into the bloodstream. The patient is monitored for at least half an hour after the procedure.

For women at less than 36 weeks of pregnancy, there are more options. In some cases, it can be appropriate to treat iron deficiency through dietary changes. If a woman’s diet is indeed too low in iron, simply increasing the amount of iron-rich food can help.

Iron supplement tablets are also commonly used. These tablets contain iron in the form of an iron salt, typically ferrous sulfate. This directly increases the amount of iron the patient is consuming. The side effects of iron supplements can include nausea, bloating, and constipation. Alternative iron supplements can contain other salts such as ferrous fumarate or iron bisglycinate. While these alternatives are presented as causing fewer side effects, there is still the chance of developing stomach cramps, loss of appetite, and more severe reactions.

All-Natural Supplements

Instead of a direct iron supplement, pregnant women can benefit from an all-natural supplement that increases iron absorption. This allows the body to use more of the dietary iron already being taken in. Those suffering from low iron in pregnancy symptoms can benefit from using IronCatch, an all-natural supplement containing fish oligosaccharides, vitamins, and minerals. While a doctor should be consulted about iron deficiency during pregnancy, IronCatch can provide increased iron absorption without the side effects of other iron supplements.

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3 Iron Deficiency Symptoms and Causes

You’ve heard about it before: a lack of iron can cause health problems. But how serious are these health problems, and what are the specific symptoms?

The Basics: What Is Iron Deficiency?

Iron deficiency is when a person lacks the proper amount of iron needed to produce hemoglobin, an essential protein for red blood cell production. Without red blood cells, the body cannot deliver oxygen properly, so an iron deficiency can cause serious problems. People who develop long term iron deficiency become anemic.

Who Suffers from Iron Deficiency Symptoms?

Anyone can become anemic from a lack of iron intake. However, certain subgroups are specifically susceptible to the condition.

Young children develop quickly and require lots of food with high nutritional input. According to the World Health Organization, almost 50% of the world’s children are anemic due to a lack of iron in their diet.

Next, pregnant and childbearing women often suffer symptoms of anemia. They become anemic due to the child’s demands on their blood supply. Pregnant or childbearing women must compensate for the child when planning a diet.

Lastly, people who suffer from chronic illness or blood-related health complications are more likely to suffer from iron deficiency symptoms. These individuals are predisposed to the ailment due to frequent blood loss or other conditions.

low iron symptoms

The Symptoms:

1.     General Fatigue

People suffering from anemia often express a feeling of perpetual exhaustion. This feeling becomes overwhelming when performing everyday tasks or when the individual is completely rested. This exhaustion or weakness is noticeable and causes sufferers to gradually become more sluggish.

In this situation, the brain isn’t receiving enough oxygen to feel awake. Instead, oxygen levels are lower, making the body feel sleepy and causing light-headedness when the body is exerted.

2.     Pale Skin, Cold Hands and Feet

Without normal hemoglobin levels, the body’s blood flow is interrupted. It’s unable to deliver the normal amount of blood that heats and allows the body to function normally. The hands and feet are first to feel cold, as they are the furthest from the heart, which delivers oxygenated blood. People develop pale skin when too little blood is flowing to their heads.

3.     Fast or Irregular Heartbeat

The disruption of hemoglobin will affect cardiovascular activity. Sensing a lack of oxygen in the body, the brain will send messages to the heart to pump more blood to the body. This signaling sends the heart into overdrive so it can provide the body enough oxygenated blood.

What’s the Solution?

Increased iron intake is a start. But many people don’t realize that a lack of Vitamin A in their diet contributes to iron deficiency anemia. Vitamin A increases iron absorption and is key to relieving common symptoms of anemia.

IronCatch is the first all-natural, iron-free solution to improving iron absorption. The treatment is proven to decrease symptoms of anemia and raise overall iron absorption. Iron Catch is the perfect way to decrease symptoms of anemia while increasing overall iron absorption.

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How to Raise My Iron Levels Quickly?


Low iron is one of the most common mineral deficiencies around the world today. It can lead to a slew of symptoms, including fatigue, headaches, shortness of breath, and paleness. Iron deficiency progress through several stages of increasing severity, eventually requiring medical attention. If you’re asking yourself “how to raise my iron levels proactively,” there are a few steps you could take today.

How to Raise My Iron Levels With Supplements

One of the quickest methods is to take iron supplement pills. Iron supplements are easy to find at pharmacies, grocery stores, and health centers. Many complete multivitamin solutions also include supplementary iron. Physicians typically recommend High-dose iron supplements for those suffering from moderate symptoms or after blood loss. People who want to know how to raise their iron levels because they’re experiencing mild symptoms can try a lower dose supplement.

Some of the higher dose supplements can carry several side-effects, including nausea. This is why these pills are better for short-term treatment of severe cases, not an ongoing solution. Many low dose supplements include other vitamins in minerals intended to improve iron absorption. IronCatch is one such supplement, increasing iron absorption without any side effects. Their formula of fish oligosaccharides, vitamins, and minerals helps your body make the most of the iron you’re already getting from your diet. You’ll have several times your initial iron absorption within just 30 days of taking this supplement.

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How to Raise My Iron Levels With an Iron-Rich Diet

Ideally, a person should receive all of the vitamins and minerals they need from a balanced diet. This isn’t always realistic, and tracking micronutrients can be difficult. Many people supplement their diets with everyday multivitamins to make up for any deficiencies. The primary source of dietary iron is meat. This is the reason that many vegetarians suffer from anemia and require iron supplements.

The iron that comes from red meats, fish, and poultry is called haem iron. It is different from the iron that is present in grains, vegetables, and fruit. Your body is about twice as efficient at absorbing the haem iron from meats as it is at absorbing other iron. When a diet has no meat, it’s hard to balance the iron deficiency with non-haem iron. Some good non-meat sources of iron include beans, pasta, cereal, cauliflower, and cabbage.

Additional Options to Raise Your Iron

There are a few other methods for those who wonder how to raise my iron levels. Using a cast-iron skillet for cooking is one of these methods. Iron from the skillet transfers into the food you cook. This effect is more pronounced when cooking acidic foods, like pasta sauce. Humanitarian efforts take advantage of this effect by distributing pieces of iron to third world countries to be left in cooking pots.

You can try avoiding coffee and tea with meals. They contain tannins that inhibit your body’s ability to absorb iron. If you wait several hours after eating to have your coffee, you can avoid this effect. Some other foods can avoid that can inhibit your iron absorption, spinach and high-fiber foods. Your body can only absorb so many minerals at once. Calcium and zinc provide competition for iron, so taking multiple mineral supplements at once can be counter-productive.

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Detecting and curing Iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy

During pregnancy, it’s often seen that many woman suffer from iron deficiency. This leads to high-risk factors and symptoms that can cause serious disorders during pregnancy. Lets take a dive and read learn about the various ways of detecting and preventing iron deficiency during pregnancy. 

What causes iron deficiency during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, your body uses iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that’s responsible for carrying oxygen to your tissues. While being pregnant you naturally require double the amount of iron for yourself and your baby as compared to non-pregnant women. The body needs more blood to supply enough oxygen to your baby. Therefore, if there’s a shortage of stored iron in your body then woman are more prone to develop anemia.

What harm can iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy cause to the baby?

Deficiency of iron or anemia during pregnancy can be severe. If you have anemia which has not been checked or cured during pregnancy, there is an increased chance of premature birth. Children are often seen to have low body weight with postpartum depression. In some acute cases, it has been seen and very unfortunate circumstances that there is severe complications of an infant at birth. 

anemia during pregnancy

What are the risk factors of anemia in pregnancy?

The factors that cause anemia during pregnancy are:

  • If you are pregnant in quick succession without much gap
  • You are pregnant with more than one baby 
  • Morning sickness or vomiting increases 
  • You’re not taking enough iron supplements 
  • You have pre-pregnancy heavy menstrual flow 
  • Already have a history of anemia before you became pregnant 

What are the symptoms of iron deficiency in pregnancy?

The most common symptoms of anemia or iron deficiency include 

  • Fatigue 
  • Weakness 
  • A pale or yellowish skin 
  • Irregular heartbeats 
  • Shortness of breath 
  • Feeling dizzy or light on the head 
  • Occasional or frequent chest pains 
  • Hands and feet remaining cold 
  • Continuous headaches 

Symptoms of anemia are quite similar to that of general pregnancy. It is a good idea to get a screening done to make sure that you are not suffering from iron deficiency. If you are, seek help from your doctor. 

How to prevent iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy?

Most prenatal vitamins contain iron. They help prevent and treat the deficiency of anemia.  Doctors often recommend vitamin b12 for iron deficiency during pregnancy. Your nutritionist will prescribe an iron-rich diet that will include lean red meat, poultry and fish. A breakfast that includes cereal, prune juice, dates, dries beans and apples also help in replenishing iron in the body.

Iron is best absorbed in the body from animal products.  To enable iron absorption in the body it is important to complement it with plant supplements. Vitamin C helps in iron absorption. If you have your iron supplement or tablet with vitamin C or a glass of orange juice, your body can absorb the iron faster. Strawberries and tomato juice are also equally effective. Calcium is another essential nutrient that is required during pregnancy. A decrease in calcium will lead to low iron absorption in the body.

How to treat iron-deficiency anemia during pregnancy?

Most prenatal vitamins contain a good amount of iron prescribed by physicians all over the world during pregnancy. In some cases, you might have to consult a doctor or a hematologist, as people having a history in gastric diseases or those with bowel surgery might not be able to tolerate the oral iron dose. In such a situation they would need intravenous administration to replenish the lost iron in their body. 

Conclusion

Iron is an important component for both you and your baby. If you detect any of the symptoms mentioned above, then do not hesitate to consult a physician and get a thorough screening done. Remember your baby’s health depends upon you. If you stay healthy so does your baby.