Did having anemia affect your birth options?

[allyac]

I have had low iron throughout whole pregnancy, approaching third trimester. Just wondering if anyone else who had anemia during pregnancy found that it affected your birth options? Considering elective c-section due to prior birth injury. Will be discussing with midwife next week. Thanks in advance.

Just to clarify there is a difference between low iron (low ferritin level) and anaemia (low haemoglobin level).

I have had both throughout current pregnancy and a hospital admission because I became so unwell. Neither should affect your birth choices but they may wish to give you an iron infusion before the birth, however you choose, so you are topped up ready to make new blood cells for the ones you lose.

Do ask what the plan is to get your iron level up, as it's been low the whole pregnancy do they need a new approach? I had an infusion and feel so well compared to before, not sure I'd realised how awful I felt.

Good luck!

Hi Op, I agree with pp - if you’ve had a low iron level throughout pregnancy maybe an infusion is needed as I’m guessing the tablets aren’t working?
I had low ferritin in my previous pregnancy, ferrous fumerate raised the levels to the lower end of “normal”
It didn’t affect the type of birth I was able to have and I therefore had a water birth.

Thank you for replies. I have been on Ferrous Fumarate but after next blood test and depending on results will bring up infusion.

I had anemia, at a low level towards the end of my pregnancy, so just the tablets. However, went slightly premature naturally and didn't have a birth plan. So I was told I could stop taking them when I brought them with me going into labour in hospital, then after feeling dizzy and nearly fainting a couple of times, they gave me a blood test a few days later and I was anemic so kept taking them. I don't know if continuing taking them would nesseserally have been the best plan from the beggining, due to constipation.

I have anaemia and am 37.5 weeks, booked in for a section next week and have been on the same tablets as yourself OP and it hasn’t been mentioned as an issue x