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  |  Pregnancy  |  Nutrition and fitness  |  Anaemia: will it hurt your baby?
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Anaemia: will it hurt your baby?

by Dr Howard Lee

question
I am ten weeks pregnant and my doctor has just told me that I am anaemic. He suggested iron supplements. I have been taking a prenatal vitamin with 60 mg, isn’t that enough? What effects does anaemia have on my baby?

answer
Most women who become pregnant will also usually show a gradual fall in their haemoglobin (say ‘iron’) levels as pregnancy progresses. Being pregnant does affect the efficiency of haemoglobin production. Sometimes dietary changes, that will occur naturally with pregnancy, will also add to the fall in iron. I presume that your ‘pre-natal vitamin’ consists of Folic Acid. This is certainly the best way to prevent a folate deficiency, which, if present, can also aggravate anaemia.

Usually, 60 mg of iron daily would be sufficient, and nowadays, doctors will only prescribe iron in pregnancy if blood tests indicate a falling blood haemoglobin. Your baby will certainly suffer no ill effects, and is really quite able to take all it requires from your own iron storage.

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