The importance of iron for pregnant women

Women need more iron during pregnancy to support blood supply to the baby and to prepare for labor.

Do pregnant mothers know that 9% of women of childbearing age lack iron? If the iron requirement for pregnant mothers is not met, especially in the first two months, can it increase the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight?

Why is iron important during pregnancy?

Even if you're not pregnant, your body still needs iron to maintain functions such as:

Forming hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells, that carries oxygen;

Iron is an important component of myoglobin - the protein that supplies oxygen to muscles and collagen, helps in building bones, cartilage and other connective tissue;

Essential for the production of many essential enzymes and helps boost the immune system.

Why do pregnant mothers need more iron during pregnancy?

1. Producing more hemoglobin

During pregnancy, the mother's body produces 50% more blood than normal, which is why you need to produce more hemoglobin. Therefore, you need to add iron.

2. Iron deficiency before pregnancy

Many women have iron deficiency before getting pregnant. Iron deficiency makes you feel tired easily, so you need more iron to keep your body healthy.

3. Iron demand is increasing

As your baby grows, the need for iron supplements will also increase, especially in the middle and late stages of pregnancy.

4. Fight the complications of pregnancy

Iron deficiency during pregnancy can lead to a number of complications such as premature birth , low birth weight, infant mortality ... Pregnant mothers can avoid all these with adequate iron supplementation.

Pregnant mothers have added enough iron needed yet?

The body uses more iron during pregnancy to produce blood. It also helps transport oxygen from the lungs to other parts of the body. So, if you don't drink enough iron, you will feel tired.

To know if you are getting enough iron, you need to have a clear understanding of how much you need to take.

How much iron do you consume during pregnancy?

Pregnant mothers need a total of 800 milligrams (mg) of iron during pregnancy. In particular, the fetus and placenta need 300mg and the amount of hemoglobin required in the mother is 500mg.

The body uses a very high amount of iron during mid-pregnancy. Therefore, iron requirement will increase from 0.8mg per day in early stage to 6-7mg in later stage.

In general, pregnant mothers need 2–4.8 milligrams of iron per day. That means the amount of food you eat should contain between 20–48mg of iron.

You should get 30mg of iron daily during pregnancy.

Where is iron?

The iron-rich foods include animal liver (beef, pork), egg yolks, whole grains, pumpkin seeds, soybeans, lentils, sesame seeds, spinach, beef ...

Alternatively, you can take an oral iron supplement, but follow your doctor's instructions. One of the iron supplement products for pregnant mothers today is  Ferrovit® , Chela Ferr Forte , Haemo Vital,  Ferlin® .

A little note for you, if during the iron supplement, you suddenly notice your stool becomes dark, then do not worry too much. That's just a normal and harmless side effect!