iron levels in pregnancy - advice please!

[wiltshirelass]

can anyone (Mears? Leese?) give me a two minute rundown on the implications of being anaemic in pregancy? I know it makes you feel terribly tired etc etc, but I've just been given a bit of a lecture by someone about my iron levels, who said that if they stayed low I was putting too much strain on my heart and had a higher likelyhood of a big bleed during delivery. Now obviously I'd love them to go up and am drinking fersamal every morning (yeuch) but I really want to understand the implications. Especially about the heart bit. My resting heart rate at the moment is between 105 and 120 which doesn't sound too marvellous to me.
Reassurance/information please?! Thanks!

How high and how many weeks are you?

I recommend Spatone...I take in orange juice every morning and 2 if I am feeling run down, no side effects. (Its in a big orange box in Boots on viatmin section, but not avaialble on pescription)

My doctorr give me iron injections when I was pregnmant ...try and avoid as they are very very sore!

Hi pupuce

Am 34 weeks and 142 was written in teh Hb bit of my notes will have to go down to get the print out for more details...

...ok, 142 g/l and red blood cell distribution width 11.7. Make sense?

No but I am no expert... the thing is to have an HB level at 38 weeks + of 9.5 to 10.5

Read Mears' post of 3 June at12:06 for an explanation...

Thank pupuce. Not doing anything to increase it, normal diet, no supplements, blood pressure 110/60. I'll read teh links and discuss with midwife next time

Out of interest Tinker, do you smoke?

Mears - no. I'm a freak now aren't I?

Not really. I have come across high haemoglobins before without there being a problem. I asked about smoking because smokers often have higher haemoglobins to transport oxygen. I wouldn't worry about it at all.

Just read all the info here about not getting stressed about low iron levels in later pregnancy and is really reassuring. I have a count of 9.3 now, after a count four weeks ago of 9.2 (!) and a whole month of two-per-day spatone/orange juice combo and a letter through the post from my GP! Am now on pregaday but my tummy not liking it. Given the BMJ article referred to below, I think I am going to chill out and aim for a sensible 9.5. Thanks mumsnetters! I read the posts regularly but this is my first one...