Taking iron pills while pregnant is absolutely safe when taken as per the advice of doctors. You shall come to know the importance of these pills as well as the side effects of excessive dosage from this article. Read on.
The nutrient demand of our body can be sufficed naturally by consuming healthy foods. Iron, being one of the most vital elements required by our body, needs to be supplemented with medication or by consuming foods rich in iron. This element plays an important role during pregnancy because iron is the key constituent of hemoglobin. Doctors often prescribe iron pills to expectant mothers suffering from anemia due to fall in iron levels in their body. Now the question is whether irons pills are safe while pregnant. We shall analyze more on this from the next segment of this article.
Significance of Iron Pills during Pregnancy
During pregnancy, the demand of your body in terms of nutrition increases because your baby is depending on you for survival. The volume of blood inside your body increases and thus, the requirement of iron is elevated since it’s the key component of hemoglobin. Growth and development of your baby to a large extent depends on iron concentration and the demand is usually felt during second and third trimester. Women who are already anemic are prone to develop severe weakness during pregnancy if they fail to make for the iron crunch in their body.
Iron deficiency during pregnancy is more likely to cause birth defects in the child and low birth weight of baby. Under extreme conditions of iron deficiency, death of the unborn child may occur. Women deficient in iron or when suffering from anemia, are more likely to suffer from heart palpitations, rapid heartbeat, fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath and pale complexion. All these factors contribute to negative growth of the baby. To eliminate such health complications, consumption of iron pills becomes important during pregnancy.
From all these factors, you can well assume the significance of iron pills during pregnancy. Drugs are incorporated by doctors to elevate levels of iron inside body. The amount of iron required by a pregnant woman ranges between 27-30 milligrams per day. This figure is subject to change if a woman suffers from anemia during her gestation period. Iron pills are usually administered because the mineral demand is often not sufficed even after consuming healthy sources of foods. Other than iron pills, liquid forms of prenatal vitamins are also served to meet the iron demand of the body. Maintaining the amount of iron is thus, an important factor that should be taken care of by pregnant women. Doctors also associate postpartum depression with maternal iron deficiency.
Side Effects
While taking iron pills during pregnancy, you might initially suffer from some minor health complications. Body ailments become evident if you have exceeded the dosage more than the amount recommended. Iron pills for anemia lead to gastrointestinal disorders and you might suffer from constipation problems. Vomiting and nausea, although common during pregnancy, can become severe if the pills do not suit you in the beginning. Pregnant women taking very high dose of iron supplements tend to suffer from iron poisoning. In this regard, she will experience abdominal cramps, blood in stool or pass dark-colored stool. Diarrhea is a common side effect of overdose of iron pills. In rare cases, skin problems also arise due to high dosage of iron in the diet.
Thus, we can infer that iron pills are absolutely safe during pregnancy when taken as per a doctor’s recommendation. It’s best to follow a moderate dosage and increase the amount gradually according to the requirements of the body. Women who are seriously anemic during gestation period are suggested 45 mg of iron per day. Apart from iron pills, you should also consume foods (spinach, broccoli) that are rich in iron. If iron pills are causing constipation, then include lots of fibers in your diet or take aid of natural stool softeners. Iron pills should be consumed with orange juice if stomach disorders are experienced. Drink plenty of water after popping the pill. Go for a periodical check up with your gynecologist to keep an account of your health status.
Disclaimer: This HerHaleness article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.