• Iron in pregnancy

    17-Mar-2008

    Tags: Parenting , Iron , Pregnancy , Mom , Mum Parenting , Iron , Pregnancy , Mom , Mum , Mother , Foods , Diet , Parenting more more more less


    Everybody pregnant or not needs a regular intake of iron. Most of it is used to make haemoglobin, the oxygen carrying pigment in the blood. Anaemia is when the body has a iron deficiency, and you may feel tired with poor resistance to infections.

    Iron requirements in pregnancy are greater due to the need to produce extra blood cells. Increasing the iron in your diet will help provide the extra iron your body requires.

    Which foods contain iron?

    There are 2 different type of iron in foods and they are:

    Haem iron- present in red meat, fish and chicken and they are more readily absorbed and a richer iron source. Non-haem iron- present in legumes, eggs, vegetables, fruit, cereals.

    Best sources of iron

    Beef

    Breakfast cereals

    Liver and kidney

    Soyabeans, baked beans, lentils, lima beans

    Fish and sardines

    Dried fruits, nuts, bread

    Chicken

    Leafy green vegetables

    Pork

    Dried apricots, prune

    Lamb

    Broccoli

    How to maximise iron absorption?

    Add a food rich in Vitamin C to your meal, such as fruit juice, cauliflower, cabbage, tomatoe, rockmelon.

    Avoid tea, coffee and high calcium foods.

    Iron supplements

    Iron tablets- FGF, Fefol and Floradix

    Multivitamins

    Elevit and Fabfol

    Side effects of iron supplements

    Constipation- take Metamucil

    Feeling sick- try taking it at night

    Diarrhoea- try to increase iron through your diet.

    Always remember to check with your heath care proffesional before commencing any new supplements or diet.

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