Low iron at 29 weeks - what can I do? Worried...

[ScarlettButler]

I had low iron levels at 20 weeks -11.2 - and got given a months supply of iron. Just had my 28 weeks test back and it's gone down to 10.4. Really really worried - seen all the implications for early labour, complications and for the baby. I have a healthy diet and will get more tablets but what can I do in time? Sorry - hormonal and emotional but worried hv damaged baby

Is that very low? I seem to remember mine being about that, and the doc did tell me to watch my diet, but was not really concerned about it. Will check and see if I can find it.

What you can do:

• don't drink tea at the same time as eating iron rich food/taking supplements

• same for milk products, hems the absorption of iron

• drink some orange juice (or eat fruit) when you take the vitamins as it aids absorption

There is a good juice that is very high in iron, Florodix, I think it is called. Will check for you.

Floradix

I cannot find my notes, but someone else might know about the iron levels.

What food are you relying on for iron?

Floradix. Available from Holland & Barrett. Good source of iron and other stuff for preggie ladies. Best of luck Scarlett x

My 28 week bloods showed that mine had dropped to 9.6, I felt absolutely dreadful, could barely walk upstairs and was as white as a sheet. It also made me feel a bit 'low', sort of depressed and teary.

I just took it easy from then on in (had no choice really), relaxed a lot more, finished work 2 weeks earlier than planned, kept taking the iron tablets (with orange juice, v important for absorption), ate lots of iron-rich food (red meat, spinach, dark green veg).

The rest of my pregnancy, although tiring, was complication-free and baby was born healthy at 39 weeks.

Good luck and try not to worry x

IIRC, 10.4 is not so very low. I think when mine were 9.0 at 28 weeks I was told I would need to get them back up to 10 in order to have a home birth.

I tried floradix and spatone as I couldn't tolerate ferrous sulphate. However, these didn't work for me. GP prescribed ferrous fumerate which I have found easier to tolerate. My levels were 11.0 at 36weeks.

Do get started on something though, as whatever you start will take a few weeks to work.

Thanks. I usually eat a fairly healthy diet, lots of green veg and pulses, red meat. Pretty textbook. Will look up floradix and get some. Have had fairly stressful time last month re money which means I need to keep working as well. But I thought it took ages to get iron up. Is it too late? Sorry bit tearful.

Spatone is great.

I got my Hg level up 2 points ina few months on it.

10.4 isn't too bad, so you still have plenty of time to get it up over 11 before you give birth. It will have a natural dip as your pg progresses, so good to act on it now.

10.4 isn't that low, just take the supplements and you'll be fine. I had my 28 week bloods done at 26 ish weeks and my iron levels were 9.4 then, I'm 31 weeks now and it's probably gone down some more. With ds2 my level was 8 at birth and everything was fine. I don't take proper iron but use the natural supplements (when I rememeber...) I'm a vegetarian but I don't eat pulses or anything like that which is why mine gets low.

I know - prob over reacting - just everything on the Internet looks so scary!

Step away from google.

Put your feet up and have a cup of herbal tea.

It is normal to worry, but try not to google anything without asking MN first.

Mine went from 12.5 at booking in to 10.5 at 28 weeks but is back over 11 now and the midwife seems happy.
Try the liquid iron from the dr (tastes awful but better for your stomach than tablets) if that doesn't suit you try Spatone, 1 sachet at first with OJ to improve absorbtion and no tea/ coffee for an hour either side.
If that's ok go to two sachets daily. Get your bloods redone after two weeks or longer, it takes a while to have an effect

Mine went to 10.1 and no-one really seemed to worry about that. I managed to get them to 10.2 after weeks of iron tablets and just now they have increased my iron tablets (I'm 36 weeks) ready for the birth.

I just feel like it means my body is doing what it's meant to be doing and prioritising the baby.

Of course you haven't damaged the baby, anaemia is really common in pregnancy if fact it's a wonder that every pregnant woman doesn't have low iron with all the extra blood going around.
Iron tablets will quickly replenish, if you eat meat then read meat will help.
Please don't worry 10.4 isn't terribly low at all in fact you are just under the cut off of 10.5 at 28 weeks.

Thanks for all the good advice yes I shd know to keep away from google by now ... Just been a tough few weeks and this the final straw so prob overreacting!