Full Question:
I am currently 31 weeks pregnant. I can't take iron tablets every day. How important is it that I take them every day? I have been taking them for two days then having a day off and it seems to be working for me, but is my baby losing out on iron then?
Answer:
Iron tablets are not recommended for all pregnant women, only if their healthcare professional has specifically recommended that they do take one. It is important that you follow the guidance your healthcare professional has given you with regards what dose to take and how often you take them. There is no particular brand that is better than the other – many of them are different to each other because they have different doses in them. Always check with your pharmacist when purchasing your iron supplement that the brand you have chosen is the correct dosage that your healthcare professional has recommended and also that the brand is suitable for pregnant women.
If it is a thing that you don’t like swallowing tablets, you can get iron supplements in the form of a liquid sachet that you can add to orange juice and drink.
It is important that you include iron-rich foods twice in your daily diet. These include red meat, poultry, fish, green leafy vegetables, peas, beans, lentils, and foods fortified with iron such as breakfast cereals. Iron from non-meat foods needs the help of vitamin C-rich foods (such as fruits and fruit juices) to help its absorption by the body.
There is no need to stress or get worried if you miss days of taking your supplement, as long as you include iron-rich foods in your diet. Interestingly, a pregnant woman’s body adapts to absorb more iron from the diet during pregnancy.
