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How to Manage Low Iron When Planning for Pregnancy

May 20, 2017

Low iron is common among women, especially during pregnancy. Because of the increased need for iron during pregnancy, it is a good idea to start building iron reserves if you are planning for pregnancy. The Prenate® Vitamin Family offers several prenatal vitamins with iron to help fill nutritional gaps that aren’t met through diet alone.

Know Your Iron Status

It’s recommended that women start making healthy choices at least three months prior to conception. If you are thinking about having a baby or actively trying to conceive, you should evaluate your food choices and make sure that you are eating a variety of healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy and lean meats.

In addition, you can ask your health care provider to administer a simple blood test that will provide detailed information on your iron levels. During pregnancy, the amount of iron recommended for most women increases from 18 mg to 27 mg per day.1 This is because a body during pregnancy requires more iron to support the placenta, a growing baby, and the dramatic increase of blood volume that occurs during pregnancy. For those reasons, you want to start building your iron stores before the need becomes too great.

Know How To Identify Low-Iron Symptoms

Iron-deficiency anemia is a condition in which the body has lower-than-normal amounts of red blood cells and hemoglobin. Iron is an important component required for the production of hemoglobin found in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. Infants and women are the two groups most at risk for iron deficiency anemia.2 The condition occurs over time but is easy treated.

Iron-deficiency anemia occurs in people who do not consume enough iron or are unable to absorb iron. Instead, their bodies use stored iron. As these reserves are depleted, iron-deficiency anemia can occur. Be on the lookout for these symptoms, as they may indicate low iron:

  • Tiredness, weakness or exhaustion3
  • Pale skin, lips and nails3
  • Dizziness3
  • Shortness of breath3
  • Rapid heartbeat3

Supplement With Prenatal Vitamins with Iron

If you already have low iron or are planning for pregnancy, you should consider supplementing with a prenatal vitamin that contains iron. Keep in mind, though, that not all iron supplements are created the same — different iron supplements are absorbed by the body at different rates.

The Prenate® Vitamin Family offers a line of prenatal vitamins with iron. The following products contain Sumalate®, a highly absorbable form of iron:

This type of iron is about three times more bioavailable than common iron forms, so smaller doses are more efficient.4-6 Plus, Sumalate® is shown to have less negative side effects on the stomach and gastrointestinal tract.5,7 Talk to your doctor to see which Prenate® supplement is right for you.

Connect with Prenate®

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.

WARNING: Ingestion of more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids (such as DHA) per day has been shown to have potential antithrombotic effects, including an increased bleeding time and International Normalized Ratio (INR). Administration of omega-3 fatty acids should be avoided in patients taking anticoagulants and in those known to have an inherited or acquired predisposition to bleeding.

This site and its contents are an information resource only, and are neither intended to nor should be used in replacement of your doctor or other prescribing professional’s medical guidance, recommendations or advice. Neither this site nor its information should be used or relied upon for any diagnostic, medical, treatment, nutritional or other purpose. All aspects of pregnancy, including whether pregnancy is right for you, and the nourishment and care of your child, should be made with your doctor and other appropriate medical professional, and in consideration of your and your child’s particular medical history. Avion Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Avion”) makes no representation, warranty or other undertaking that this site or its information are appropriate for you or your child’s specific needs or issues, and further expressly disclaims all damages, losses, injuries or liability whatsoever incurred or alleged to have been incurred in consequence of your reliance on the information on this site. Avion does not endorse any test, procedure, treatment, remedy, therapy, cure, nutritional regimen, method or other activity or undertaking that you and/or your doctor or other medical professional may elect or recommend. By visiting this site you agree to these terms and conditions and acknowledge that you have read and understand the same. These terms and conditions, together with any information on this site, may be amended, restated or otherwise changed from time to time and at any time by Avion within the sole, absolute and uncontrolled exercise of its discretion. You acknowledge and agree that Avion has no duty or obligation to keep you informed of any amendments to, restatements of or other changes to these terms and conditions or this site, and that you are solely and exclusively responsible for apprising yourself of the same.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.

WARNING: Ingestion of more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids (such as DHA) per day has been shown to have potential antithrombotic effects, including an increased bleeding time and International Normalized Ratio (INR). Administration of omega-3 fatty acids should be avoided in patients taking anticoagulants and in those known to have an inherited or acquired predisposition to bleeding.

This site and its contents are an information resource only, and are neither intended to nor should be used in replacement of your doctor or other prescribing professional’s medical guidance, recommendations or advice. Neither this site nor its information should be used or relied upon for any diagnostic, medical, treatment, nutritional or other purpose. All aspects of pregnancy, including whether pregnancy is right for you, and the nourishment and care of your child, should be made with your doctor and other appropriate medical professional, and in consideration of your and your child’s particular medical history. Avion Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Avion”) makes no representation, warranty or other undertaking that this site or its information are appropriate for you or your child’s specific needs or issues, and further expressly disclaims all damages, losses, injuries or liability whatsoever incurred or alleged to have been incurred in consequence of your reliance on the information on this site. Avion does not endorse any test, procedure, treatment, remedy, therapy, cure, nutritional regimen, method or other activity or undertaking that you and/or your doctor or other medical professional may elect or recommend. By visiting this site you agree to these terms and conditions and acknowledge that you have read and understand the same. These terms and conditions, together with any information on this site, may be amended, restated or otherwise changed from time to time and at any time by Avion within the sole, absolute and uncontrolled exercise of its discretion. You acknowledge and agree that Avion has no duty or obligation to keep you informed of any amendments to, restatements of or other changes to these terms and conditions or this site, and that you are solely and exclusively responsible for apprising yourself of the same.

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