Low ferritin picked up at 35 weeks - worried

[Rebelwithallthecause]

I’m 35 weeks and low ferritin levels have only just been picked up

They are at 6 which makes me anemic

Worried now for baby’s health as its so low and it will take a few weeks to get iron levels back up a bit by which point baby is nearly due

Has anyone got any positive stories of anemia that wasn’t picked up?

I was extremely anaemic at 34 weeks. Allergic to every iron tablet I tried, I was able to get my hb up pretty well just by eating an iron rich diet. Hb was 8 at 34 wks and 10 by 40 wks. Still anaemic, but much improved.

I carry a blood disorder and i am nearly always anaemic. In my last pregnancy my levels had dropped so low they threatened to hospitalise me to be drip fed iron if my levels hadnt pulled up within a week. Took my tablets religiously and avoided the drip. Can't remember how close that was to delivery, but my now 5 year old seemed fine. If you've been prescribed a supplement, take it every day with oj if you can and you should be ok 😊 if not then spinach is always a good one to add extra iron!

The reason they’re low is because the baby is getting all their iron from you, so honestly I’m sure the baby will be absolutely fine! Take your supplements, eat iron rich foods, lots of vitamin c as well.
I had anaemia in both my pregnancies (with particularly low levels of ferritin the second time round), my babies were both delivered at 37 weeks absolutely healthy. Please don’t stress. As I say, your baby will be getting lots of iron from you, the anaemia is worse for you than the baby.

@Thescrewinthetuna is absolutely right. Your iron levels drop so low because baby takes priority and snatches it all. Baby will be totally fine and honestly, 6 is not the worst level I've heard in pregnancy.

Thank you everyone . This has been very reassuring