Anemia

[Chester1980]

Hey.

I’ve been feeling quite weak and am pale, which seems to sit with the symptoms of anemia. I’m 27 weeks pregnant.

Anyway - taking my vitamin supplements, but have had a few bad days with my diet and I did forget to take my supplements several times.

Do you think it’s a case of going for it with the iron rich foods and vitamins to get back on track and see how I get on - or should you go to a Doctor when you feel like this?

It seems like something I should try and fix myself....but then online medical guidance I’ve seen is to get to a Doctor.

Please get seen
Im badly aneamic
Need the iron in my system
Im nearly 36 weeks and being anaemic close to delivery isnt safe
Don't let it get this bad

Iron rich foods can't harm, but you should talk to your midwife. I think around 28 week check they take your bloods again, and check for anemia. Then you can discuss supplements.

Iron rich foods which are ok for pregnancy, obviously. I've been anemic and craving liver and red wine, which clearly is not a great idea...

Your bloods will be checked at the 28 week appointment assuming you haven’t already had that. They will be checked again a few weeks before birth. As I’m sure you know, you lose a fair amount of blood during delivery and some women haemorrhage so if your iron count is already low before going into labour, this can have catastrophic effects.

An iron rich diet is great but often doesn’t get through your system quickly enough in pregnancy to have any real effect. If you are found to be anaemic, definitely take the supplements alongside a good diet. If you have ill effects from the tablets, try spatone which is a lot gentler.

If you are anaemic spatone does not contain enough iron to bring your levels up quickly enough. You need the ferrous sulphate, ferrous fumerate or ferrous gluconate you are prescribed.

Remember to ask for lactulose too
Nasty side effect that im suffering from! Despite taking it since I started iron

Help! I had a scan on Friday and the measurements are all (apart from HC) coming up small (HC measuring like 2 weeks ahead everything else 2 weeks behind) but the sonographer said they are all in the curves (at different places) so not to worry. On the EFW chart the baby was on the 5th centile at 20 weeks so I was referred to consultant. 28 and 32 week scans showed good growth (moved closer to the 50th centile line) and midwife said it will just be a small baby as long as she continues to go up the curve nothing to worry about. At my scan on Friday (36 weeks) the baby had gone down to the 5th centile line again (although the sonographer didn’t plot it on the chart so I only noticed when I got home that evening). She has gained about 500g in the 4 weeks since my last scan but I am worried now that she is not following the curves.... is this a sign of FGR/IUGR? I have a midwife appointment tomorrow but she always dismisses my concerns so I’m worried she won’t take me seriously! xx