Iron & Pregnancy

Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies in pregnancy.

As your blood volume increases, so does your need for more iron rich foods.

If iron stores are low prior to pregnancy you can bet you’ll likely end up anemic as your pregnancy continues if you don’t take action.

Getting properly tested in each trimester can help you get ahead of things so that you can add in iron rich foods and prevent putting yourself and baby at risk. It also helps to prevent you from heading into postpartum depleted and exhausted.

Iron deficiency anemia in mom can be associated with several negative outcomes in both mom & baby.  Some of these include premature labor, postpartum hemorrhage, reduced growth in baby, low birth weight in baby, and anemia in baby.

Common symptoms in mom can include fatigue, weakness, dizziness, shortness of breath, and difficulty concentrating to name a few.

Here is a list of some good sources of iron to consider including in your diet:
📌meat (beef, chicken, lamb, etc)
📌eggs
📌beans/legumes
📌nuts/seeds and
📌dark leafy greens.

Keep in mind animal based iron is typically absorbed better by the body than plant based iron. So if you’re not a meat eater that’s ok, just be aware you might have to work a little harder to keep your levels up during pregnancy.

Need more support around nutrition in your pregnancy?  Book a free meet & greet with our Naturopathic doctor and get the right advice to optimize your pregnancy and postpartum.

Book Now!