Iron Deficiency During Pregnancy

Dr. rer. nat. Daniela Oesterle is a molecular biologist, human geneticist and trained medical editor. As a freelance journalist, she writes texts on health topics for experts and laypeople and edits specialist scientific articles by doctors in German and English. She is responsible for the publication of certified advanced training courses for medical professionals for a renowned publishing house.

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Fatigue and paleness are often signs of iron deficiency. Pregnancy is one of those phases in which it can develop very easily. Because in addition to the mother's body, the growing child also needs the vital trace element. An iron deficiency during pregnancy should be compensated for with a wholesome diet and possibly iron supplements. Read more about pregnancy and iron deficiency here!

Pregnancy: increased need for iron

Every day we take in the vital trace element iron through food, which takes on a variety of functions in the body. Iron - bound to hemoglobin (red blood pigment) - is required for the transport of oxygen in the blood. Iron is also required for the formation of red blood cells.

The body can initially compensate for an iron deficiency by using its iron reserves. If this is coming to an end, one will fall ill with the most severe form of iron deficiency, the so-called iron deficiency anemia (iron deficiency anemia).

How Much Iron a Day?

Iron deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia. It is more common in women than in men due to the monthly period. In addition, the iron requirement also depends on age and - for women - on pregnancy and breastfeeding.

For example, women between the ages of 25 and 51 should generally consume around 15 milligrams of iron per day. During pregnancy, this requirement increases to around 30 milligrams per day. Iron deficiency during pregnancy can only be prevented with this intake. A daily intake of around 20 milligrams of iron is recommended for breastfeeding women.

Why does the need for iron increase during pregnancy?

The increased iron requirement during pregnancy is due to the fact that not only the mother but also the child must be supplied with iron. In addition, the enlarged uterus and placenta require some iron. Malnutrition or malnutrition therefore leads to iron deficiency more quickly in pregnant women than in non-pregnant women.

However, pregnancy is not associated with a constant increase in iron consumption from fertilization to birth: in fact, the iron requirement of mother and child is hardly increased in the first half of pregnancy. The iron intake through a balanced diet should generally cover the requirement sufficiently during this phase.

In the second half of pregnancy, however, the pregnant woman needs significantly more iron. This can make it necessary to take additional iron supplements.

Iron value: pregnancy

The attending gynecologist regularly checks the iron supply of the pregnant woman by measuring the iron level in the woman's blood - the so-called Hb (hemoglobin) value. If this falls below 11 grams per deciliter of blood, there is iron deficiency anemia.

The number of red blood cells also provides information about possible anemia. Less than 3.9 million erythrocytes in one microliter of blood indicate an iron deficiency. There are also other helpful parameters (such as ferritin, transferin receptor) in the diagnosis of iron deficiency.

Symptoms of iron deficiency

The iron deficiency usually goes unnoticed as long as the body can still make use of the iron reserves. If these are emptied, the following symptoms appear:

• Pallor of the skin and mucous membranes
• Poor concentration
• Reduction in performance
• fatigue
• higher susceptibility to infection
• Hair loss
• cracked corners of the mouth
• brittle fingernails or fingernails with grooves
• headache

What to do in case of iron deficiency

Pregnancy with persistent iron deficiency is dangerous for both mother and child. Premature birth and a lower birth weight are associated with the deficiency.

To prevent iron deficiency during pregnancy, women should compensate for an existing deficiency before pregnancy. This later reduces the risk of iron deficiency during pregnancy.

If this develops anyway, it should be recognized and treated as early as possible. After taking iron supplements for three to six weeks, the values ​​improve significantly. In order to replenish the body's own reserves, the preparation should be taken for another six months.

Iron supplements can be useful in premature children. However, this should only be done from the 8th week of life and only under medical supervision. For children born at full maturity, doctors do not recommend an additional supply of iron because of the adverse effects on growth.

Pregnancy: Eat healthy first, then iron supplements

Iron is found primarily in lean meat, but also in fruit and vegetables (such as broccoli, kale or spinach), in cereal products such as whole grain bread and muesli, as well as in nuts and soy. The first thing you should try with such foods is to meet your iron requirements. If that's not enough, the doctor will recommend an iron supplement - so that your body doesn't become deficient and your child's development and health are not affected.

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