Iron levels in pregnancy?

[Aubergenie]

Does anyone know what the normal range for iron levels is during pregnancy? I'm 22 weeks.

Thanks

anyone?

I've just had my 28 week blood tests and been told I'm borderline at 11.3 - the norm is 11.5-15.5.

Hope this helps

Interesting. Thank you! I just got some blood results back from tests run in March but no-one went through them with me. I asked and the receptionist said that they were fine, but when I looked at them more closely my iron levels were 11.1, which I thought might be on the low side. I've been feeling more and more tired which is making me wonder if my iron levels have dropped even more.

I'm anxious to keep them at a reasonable level as I know they take it into consideration in you want a home birth.

Pregnancy1 Did they suggest you need any treatment at this stage or just good nutrition?

When I first had it taken by the hospital (c.16weeks) I was told it was fine and to keep up the good work. The same results at 26 weeks at my local surgery(got results at 28 weeks) made the doctor write me a prescription for iron tablets and book me in for another blood test in a month's time. I am seeing my midwife tomorrow and am going to see if she is happy for me to try and get it up myself - eating more red meat, spinach etc plus a liquid iron supplement. I don't want to take the iron tablets as I'm just about keeping myself regular (sorry - tmi) without them. I'll let you know what she says tomorrow if that will help.

my iron levels are always low in pregnancy and i'm a huge fan of spatone which is a natural iron rich water type supplement that you add to juice and has none of the side effects of taking iron.

it's great, not cheap but on 3 for 2 in boots atm!

Thanks ladies. A friend gave me some Spatone earlier on, and I was taking it every day but it ran out, so I think I need to get some more (especially if it's on a 3 for 2! Thanks for the tip). I don't eat red meat so need to start being much more careful with my diet. I've been very good at making sure I'm getting loads of vitamins and not eating too much sugar, refined flour etc, but I don't think I've taken into account the fact that I need much more iron rich food than normal.

I'd be very interested to hear what the midwife says Pregnancy1, thank you!

When i had my first blood tests at 12 weeks my iron levels were 13 which the midwife said was the high side of normal. At 28 weeks they were 11 which she also said was acceptable (they are expected to go down). Anything above 10 was fine according to her.

taking folic acid and B12 will help as well, if you're not still taking them.

I got my booking bloods back last week. At 10 weeks my level was 10.4, which is low, and I know it's worsened (now nearly 17 weeks) as I can barely keep my eyes open, am breathless and am looking decidedly pale and interesting. My MW said anything over 11 is OK.

Have just picked up a prescription for iron tablets but know that they will interfere with my already fairly sluggish diggestive transit (to be polite about it).

Have never tried Spatone, but might give that a go. Can you get it on prescription? and is it as effective as taking iron tablets?

when i had my 11 wk bloods done it was 9.5 my mw failed to inform me and i went through weeks of being tired all the time
i didnt have a mw appt as im a diabetic and went to hospital every time no one thought to check my notes
28 week bloods done i felt terrible again no one checked me out despite being asked to
i put it down to just a tiring pregnancy
30 weeks admitted to hospital they were all flaffing about gettin docs in i just coudnt breathe and needed oxygen on the monitoring bed
they said check her notes
my new blood results were not in there
again mw forgot
they came back at 6.3
they said i would feel very ill indeed at that score and i did
im 32 weeks now and feeling much better
but now on injections as im very anaemic

Ladies keep a check on your iron levels
breathlessness is horrible
id rather be constipated and eat lots of fibre to remedy this than ill like i was
check your own notes some of us do get left behind

I second what disneystar says about being aware of yout own iron levels. It's easy for results to be overlooked. I find it quite worrying that every time I have tests taken they say 'we'll contact you if anything is wrong, if you don't hear from us you're OK'.

At my last set of blood tests I was anaemic, they sent me out a letter to tell me I needed iron pills but they sent it the wrong address (even though they'd had my new address for weeks, luckily our mail redirection sorted it out). To get the best care you really need to look out for yourself and follow things up if you think something is wrong.

Evening,

Just a quick update on my midwife appt today as requested aubergenie. Mentioned what the doctor said (that I was borderline anaemic at 11.3 and needed iron tablets and another blood test) and she rolled her eyes and said that anything above 11 was fine in pregnancy. If it fell below that then they would look to do something. She told me not to take iron tablets and not to bother going to get my bloods redone.
I've decided on a compromise - have bought some spatone (3 for 2 at Boots - thanks for the tip tassissss). I'll take that and get retested in 2 weeks time to see if I've managed to get it up.
Good advice disneystar - you've encouraged me to keep my eye on it. I'm sorry you had such a rotten experience.

your very welcome pregnany1

im not taking the ferrous sulphate today it makes me so sick violently sick as well
im having a day of
well us ladies have enought to cope with with our expanding tummies and sickness and aches and pains we tend to forget the inside things like bloods and how that can afeect you
im going into boots today to have alook as well

Thanks for the update Pregnancy1. I've been to Boots and bought some Spatone too! It's difficult to know what is normal pregnancy tiredness and when to worry. I agree Disneystar, it's so important to look out for yourself. Sorry you've had such an awful time.