iron levels - anemia

[harleysmammy]

hi. I had my 28 week bloods done last week and it came back that I was anaemic. My levels were 98, I asked the doctor who prescribed the iron tablets if it was severe and she said no. I did the stupid thing of googling it and I know there is risks if you have severe anaemia. I just had my anti d injection (29 weeks) and the midwife was asking about the iron and gave me a piece of paper with my levels on it. I asked her if it could affect the baby and she said it could do and she said about bleeding in birth. What kind of affects could it have on the baby? And are my levels severely low? She told me to take it with orange juice and avoid milk, tea and coffee and no one else had told me that before so for the last week, I have been taking 3 tablets a day just after my cereal and not always with orange juice. She said milk could stop the tablets from working so basically the last week I've been taking them, have probably been ineffective. I know if you leave anaemia, it can lead to complications but that's just what I've read from google, so what are the risks to the baby of anaemia? I basically just want to know what the risks to my son are, are my levels severely low and also, when people have told me their iron levels, they say numbers like 9 or 10 d/gl..what is 98 l g/l converted to d/gl? thanks x

9.8 it means. It isn't severely low, mine went to 7.6 with my third and nobody cared to inform me I needed tablets until I was in labour. I've been anemic in all of my pregnancies (5) and babies had no ill effects, they take stores from you. It's mainly the mother that becomes symptomatic. The main worry is should the mother suffer an ante/post partum hemorrhage when anemic it would make levels severely low. So it is good that you are already on iron to get them back up to a good level.

My levels weren't/aren't as low as yours but I have been taking Spatone (can't have the normal iron tablets they make me feel awful) with an effervescent vitamin c tablet and orange juice then about an hour or two later have things like cereal, a coffee or tea. If you take the tablets from now on avoiding tea and milk for a few hours before and after taking them then your levels should normalise. They don't stop absorption just slow it down, it doesn't help basically. Low iron affects you primarily more than the baby. Take the tabs and eat lots of leafy greens, broccoli and such like to balance the levels until your next bloods. I'm no Dr or anything!

It's very very common to have low iron during pregnancy. It affects you much more than baby as baby takes what it needs and depletes your own supplies. The tablets will bring your level up effectively. You don't need to worry too much about the milk etc. Caffeine can reduce your uptake of iron and vitamin c can increase your uptake, but with a supplement you should see your level increase quite quickly regardless. The reason it's good to get your level up before birth is because you will likely lose some blood during the birth. You will find out at your next blood test if your level has come up but there really is no reason to worry as your level is not particularly low anyway.

I had similar iron levels to you, baby was fine. I don't think you're classed as "severely anaemic" until your haemoglobin is below 80 (or 8 in old money). So 98 is low, but not low-low.

Nobody was concerned about the effect on the baby, the worry was bleeding in childbirth.

Which unfortunately, I did, a lot, and needed blood transfusions after.

Don't stress too much, most women have low iron levels during pregnancy. I think below 105 or 10.5 is the level at which they would normally prescribe iron tablets. I was prescribed them at 30 weeks (now 38 ) as my level was 105 and it's now at 107 so hasn't made a huge difference. With DS1 I wasn't prescribed them although I'm sure my mw had commented at the time that my levels were on the low side.

I became slightly anaemic in pregnancy and have been put on iron tablets too. I take with orange juice and avoid tea, coffee and milk for 2 hours before and after. Including decaf.
As a previous poster has said, I think the anaemia mainly affects you rather than baby. That's what I've been told by consultants and midwives.

After 3-4 weeks of being on the tablets I felt much better. I'm on 200mg per day which is way more than you get in any shop bought product.

I hope you start to feel better soon!

PS my levels were 109 I think which may not sound that low but it's about how much they've dropped too, as a significant drop can make you feel rotten.