Pregnancy tip #8 – Be regular with your iron pills

Missing your iron supplements during your pregnancy isn't a good idea. We tell you why.

Right from your first antenatal visit your doctor would prescribe you iron pills to be consumed regularly throughout your pregnancy. Remember during pregnancy, iron intake is crucial for the baby's well-being and that of the mother. Low iron levels is associated with anemia that indicates a lower hemoglobin count. This can affect the oxygen supply to the fetus, resulting in adverse consequences.

Iron deficiency during pregnancy can result in severe maternal weakness and in worst cases lead to infant mortality too. In fact, an iron deficiency in the first six months doubles the risk of a preterm labour and triples the risk of delivering a low birth weight baby. Iron pills when taken along with folic acid can help to improve the birth weight of the baby and save the mother from suffering from anemia that can have an effect on the pregnancy. So under no circumstances should you forget to take your iron pills. Also know how anemia affects ones pregnancy.

Tip: Apart from your regular iron pill, to ensure that your diet has enough iron sources eat more leafy green vegetables, beans and dried fruit. Also have a lot of fruits that are rich in vitamin C as they help in absorption of the mineral. Remember never have iron and calcium together as calcium can interfere with the iron consumption in the body. Also read about the other vegetables to be consumed during pregnancy.

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