Iron Deficiency in Pregnancy

Iron, the vital trace element, is needed for various metabolic functions as well as primarily for blood formation. The body cannot produce the micronutrient itself, so it must be supplied daily with food. During pregnancy, the iron requirement doubles. Therefore, many women experience iron deficiency during pregnancy.

What is iron deficiency?

Because expectant mothers have an increased need for iron, they are particularly at risk of being affected by iron deficiency during pregnancy.The body is usually able to accumulate stores of iron. Excess iron that the body does not use immediately is stored in depots. The body then falls back on it when it is needed later. Often, however, not enough iron is taken in through the diet, so that the iron requirements of many women are not fully covered. As a result, the stores are also not sufficiently filled and an iron deficiency can occur. The body consumes iron every day, so it must always be supplied with sufficient iron through food. If the body is continuously undersupplied with iron, the reserves are depleted, which can result in anemia. This results in a reduction of hemoglobin. In anemia, less oxygen is transported in the body.

Why do pregnant women need more iron?

The need for iron increases considerably during pregnancy. First of all, the blood volume increases until the pregnant woman has almost 50 percent more blood compared to before. Therefore, she needs more iron because more hemoglobin must be produced. Iron is also partly responsible for the growth as well as the brain development of the baby during pregnancy. For pregnant women, a daily iron intake of about 30 milligrams is recommended to keep the pregnant woman and the baby healthy.

Causes of iron deficiency in pregnant women

Blood volume increases by up to 40 percent in pregnant women. This is because the uterus is growing and needs to be supplied with enough blood. In order for sufficient new blood to be formed and thus ensure an optimal supply of oxygen to mother and baby, the iron requirement doubles during pregnancy. The trace element iron becomes one of the most important nutrients during this phase, with iron requirements being highest between the 8th and 22nd week of pregnancy. However, since not enough iron is usually taken in with food and the body therefore falls back on its low stores, an acute iron deficiency often develops in the last trimester of pregnancy.

Symptoms of iron deficiency in pregnant women

Prolonged iron deficiency may result in insufficient production of red blood cells. This often leads to fatigue, tiredness, nervousness, shortness of breath, and loss of sleep and appetite. Other possible symptoms include pale skin color, torn corners of the mouth, brittle nails, headaches, ringing in the ears and palpitations. Susceptibility to infection also increases with iron deficiency. If there are not enough red blood cells, anemia can also occur. This often leads to the placenta not being supplied with sufficient oxygen and therefore not developing as desired. This in turn also impairs the oxygen supply to the baby, which can have a negative impact on the development of the brain. In addition, anemia carries the risk of premature birth or even miscarriage. Risks to the mother include reduced blood reserves at birth. This results in an increased risk for blood transfusions in the event of major blood loss. There is also a great deal of stress on the heart.

What to do about iron deficiency during pregnancy?

Often, an iron-rich diet alone is not enough to meet the daily iron requirement of 30 milligrams. Only about ten percent of the iron that is absorbed through food can be effectively utilized by the body. In the event of an acute iron deficiency during pregnancy, dietary supplementation with special iron supplements is recommended. It should be noted, however, that these should not be dosed on one’s own. It is advisable to have a doctor check the blood values to determine how much additional iron the body needs to be supplied in order to avoid an overdose.If you make sure your diet contains plenty of iron, you won’t need an additional iron supplement.

Prevention of iron deficiency

In principle, it is important during pregnancy to adapt the diet to the increased iron requirements. By consciously changing the diet, iron stores can be replenished before pregnancy to meet the increased demand during pregnancy. There are some foods with a particularly high iron content. These should be consumed more frequently during pregnancy. These include:

  • Lean red meat
  • Eggs and fish
  • Whole grains, legumes and nuts
  • Fruits and dried fruits, especially apricots.
  • Red juices, for example, grape or cherry juice.
  • Various vegetables, especially dark green vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, peas and beans.

Women who have chosen a vegetarian diet must pay special attention to a balanced diet with a lot of iron-rich vegetables, as well as cereals such as millet, especially during pregnancy. In addition, vitamin C helps the body absorb the iron in food. Therefore, it is recommended to drink plenty of orange juice with the meal. Alternatively, fruits and vegetables that contain a lot of vitamin C are also suitable. Tea and coffee, on the other hand, make it more difficult for the body to absorb iron and should therefore not be drunk with meals.