During pregnancy, women and the growing baby need a variety of nutrients, including iron. National Library of Medicine According to the , pregnant women and rapidly growing infants are at the highest risk of iron deficiency. During pregnancy, more iron is needed primarily to supply the growing fetus and placenta and to increase red blood cell mass in the mother's body.
Doctors often recommend pregnant women to take iron supplements to meet their iron needs. Usually every woman takes iron supplements but now you should also know about some important things related to their consumption.
All photos courtesy: Freepik
Read Supplement Labels
Festival According to the , the label of your prenatal vitamin should state the amount of iron in each dose. It doesn't matter which type of iron you take — all are effective. Generic and brand-name iron supplements are usually equally good. Taking too much iron is unlikely to harm you or your growing fetus. You can also talk to your doctor about your dosage.
All photos courtesy: pexels
tackle one problem at a time
Taking iron supplements during the first trimester can make morning sickness symptoms worse. If you have nausea and vomiting, you may want to wait a few weeks before taking iron supplements. Control your morning sickness first. Iron supplements have enough time to work in the second and third trimesters, so you may want to wait in the first trimester.
Try other things
If iron deficiency is causing constipation, add iron-rich foods to your diet that also provide fiber, such as beans, spinach and fortified whole grains. However, it is not advisable to rely only on food for iron supplementation in pregnancy. Use a stool softener such as docusate sodium if you have persistent constipation. Some iron supplements come as stool softeners or consider increasing the fiber in your diet or taking a fiber supplement.
Find a method that works for you
If you have trouble swallowing tablets, try taking a liquid or chewable iron supplement. Check the label to find out how much you need to meet your daily goal of 30 mg of elemental iron.
Iron after delivery
Don't throw away your iron tablets after delivery. You will need to take iron supplements for a few more weeks to replace the blood lost during delivery. Iron is very important for you and your baby.
`; articlesDiv.innerHTML += articleHTML; }); } // Initialize and render feeds fetchAndRenderFeeds();
