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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

what was your iron level when you were prescribed iron tablets?

27 replies

LucyJones · 10/08/2006 09:02

Mine is currently 10.7. One midwife said when it fell below 11 I would have to have iron tablets but my gp said I only need them if they fall below 10.5. Anyone have any experience of this? tia

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Thegirlsmummy · 10/08/2006 09:06

Mine was 9 so I was prescribed them - My midwife said they had to be over 11.

morningpaper · 10/08/2006 09:07

There are NICE Guidelines on EXACTLY this matter. Let me find them for you...

fairyjay · 10/08/2006 09:11

LJ
From my distant pregnancy days I was told that very few women had the ideal level pre-pregnancy -which from memory is 12. When I got below towards 9, my GP prescribed iron injections (ouch!!). However, the Maternity Hospital said that they would not have done so, just given me iron tablets. To be honest, the hospital seemed much more laid back about it that the GP.
When it was my 2nd pregnancy and my levels fell below 10, I took the decision to stick with the tablets, and not have the injections, against the GP's advice. And all was well.

Good luck

burstingbug · 10/08/2006 09:16

My notes say mcv 84 what ever that means and I was put on iron tablets, this was at 34 weeks

coppertop · 10/08/2006 09:18

Mine were just over 10 when I was prescribed iron tablets. 10.3 I think.

morningpaper · 10/08/2006 09:18

Right, it depends on how many weeks you are

If your level is less than 11 at sixteen weeks, then supplementation should be CONSIDERED

The thing is though, when you are pg your body really absorbs iron from food incredibly efficiently. It is quite easy to increase your iron levels by changing your diet. Have you tried this? I bought large bags of almonds, apricots and loads of orange juice and had a small snack of that three times a day. My iron levels went back up nice and high, and just after the birth they were checked and were well above normal for a normal woman - which was great considering that I had left the birthing pool looking like Gordon Ramsay's pig-slaughter-house.

I would ask to try dietary change first and be good about doing that.

Iron supplements can cause constipation which can be grim when you are pg.

LaylaandSethsmum · 10/08/2006 09:19

It will also depend on what your ferritin levels are. these are the iron stores so levels will go down before your haemoglobin is affected. if these are low then you may be prescribed iron tabs

morningpaper · 10/08/2006 09:19

The later in pregnancy you are, the less iron you should have in your blood btw.

CarolinaMao · 10/08/2006 09:25

iron tablets had zero effect on my haemoglobin levels when I was pg, despite me religiously drinking OJ with every tablet.

Next time, I'd go with MP's approach. Breakfast cereals have a lot of added iron too - e.g. a couple of bowls of cornflakes (tesco's own brand at any rate) contain nearly the whole RDA of iron for a non-pg person.

morningpaper · 10/08/2006 09:26

and chocolate

CarolinaMao · 10/08/2006 09:28

Original poster

LucyJones · 10/08/2006 09:35

thanks everyone. I will try the diet first as they haven't prescribed the tablets for me yet and I don't want them!!

OP posts:

Quootiepie · 10/08/2006 09:38

7.3 ...

Quootiepie · 10/08/2006 09:40

oh, that wasnt pregnancy sorry. That was afterwards!

Myrtle1 · 10/08/2006 18:56

Mine were 9.5 when prescibed iron tablets at 31 weeks, they'd dropped from 12.5. I'm taking them at the moment - 1 or 2 a day but am eating Special K too and red meats, green leafy veg and nettle tea are good too.

expatinscotland · 10/08/2006 19:25

8.0

I felt like crap.

The tablets made me sick. MN to the rescue and I switched to Spatone sachets.

FioFio · 10/08/2006 19:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

lucy5 · 10/08/2006 19:29

this is interesting as here in spain they are prescribed regardless. I have no idea what my iron levels are and have been taking them since very early on. I couldn't remember taking them when I was preggers in England.

gothicmama · 10/08/2006 19:39

10.7

foxinsocks · 10/08/2006 19:55

I never asked but was told later by GP that it was 9. Mine seems to hover around 10 as my 'normal' level anyway.

fridayschild · 10/08/2006 20:16

just below 10

midwife said it was to make sure I was strong enough for a home birth, nice thought but I hated the tablets

binbon2 · 10/08/2006 20:26

Mine was borderline at 10.8. I was prescribed iron tablets, but was told if I te more red meat and fortified cereals then I probably didn't have to take them. Decided to take them anyway.

neolara · 10/08/2006 23:15

I was told I was borderline at 11 but as I had been feeling totally exhausted the midwife recommended I take iron. I've been taking it for a week and I feel MUCH better already.

jessicaandrebeccasmummy · 10/08/2006 23:25

My docs say 11.

I was 6.2 5 months after Jess was born, and 19 months later am still hovering around 9.5-10.

Im having regular blood tests, but iron tablets are SHITE.

Go to chemist, buy Spatone sachets and take 1 a day (i take 2) - you will feel better in a matter of days.

schneebly · 10/08/2006 23:27

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