Iron may aid pregnancy

Friday June 21st, 2013

Iron supplements during pregnancy may help women avoid giving birth to under-weight babies, researchers report today.

Taking iron may help prevent anaemia and boost red blood cells.

The research in The BMJ shows that every 10mg increase in doses of iron was linked to a 12% reduction in a mother's anaemia and a 15g increase in a baby's birth weight.

British experts said the findings would apply mostly to poor countries - but highlighted the need for good nutrition during pregnancy.

Researchers reached their conclusions after analysing more than 90 studies involving nearly two million women.

Researcher Batool Haider, of the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, said: "Our findings suggest that use of iron in women during pregnancy may be used as a preventive strategy to improve maternal haematological status and birth weight."

Janet Fyle, of the UK Royal College of Midwives, said: “Women’s iron levels are checked at specific times during pregnancy.  Appropriate action is taken if required such as dietary advice or an iron supplement may be recommended.

"There is perhaps a need here in the UK for us to focus on ensuring better pre-conception health, so that women contemplating pregnancy can adjust their diet to include appropriate nutrients before becoming pregnant.

“The problem of serious iron deficiency tends to affect low income countries, where some women may already have poor health status before pregnancy and have the added burden of not being able to afford iron supplements."

BMJ 21 June 2013 [abstract]

Tags: Childbirth and Pregnancy | Diet & Food | North America | Nursing & Midwifery | UK News | Women's Health & Gynaecology

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