Iron (Fe) is essential for you and your baby – before, during and after. Fortunately, iron deficiency and anemia can be easily corrected with the right supplementation. A recent study showed that a low-dose iron supplement of only 20 mg/day (from the 20th week of pregnancy to delivery) reduced iron anemia and deficiency at delivery – without constipation.(1)

Start building your iron stores! As women’s iron requirements double during pregnancy, adequate iron is needed for optimum fertility, proper placenta development, prevention of low birth weight babies and pre-term labour, and to provide sufficient iron stores for the baby’s first six months of life.

Dr. Cathy Carlson-Rink

Registered Midwife and Naturopathic Physician

Q: Is iron important for fertility and pregnancy?

A: The highest risk group for iron deficiency is women in their childbearing years. Iron levels can plummet during pregnancy and breastfeeding if iron intake is inadequate to meet the demands of increased blood supply during pregnancy and to establish iron stores for the baby in the first six months of life.

Adequate iron is required for optimum fertility and to ensure proper placenta development at conception. The Danish Food Directorate reports “clear iron deficiencies” in fertile women who are planning a family; only 1/5 of fertile women have adequate iron stores (40-70 ug/l). Fatigue, pale skin, dark circles under the eyes, poor concentration, difficulty exercising and increased infections are signs of iron deficiency. This deficiency is linked with low birth weight babies, pre-term labour, postpartum depression and iron deficiency in infants.
Iron consumption must increase during pregnancy to 30 mg/day. Supplementation makes sense – but many iron supplements can cause constipation. I recommend Floradix Liquid Iron because it is non-constipating and clinically proven to normalize low iron levels. Floradix is a low-dose supplement designed for maximum absorption. This low dose is supported by a recent study that recommended just 20 mg of iron per day during pregnancy. This dosage reduced iron deficiency anemia and iron deficiency at delivery and postpartum – without constipation. Another study found that supplementing 30 mg of iron throughout pregnancy significantly reduced small birth weight babies and pre-term labour, whereas supplementation at the end of pregnancy made no difference for these complications. I personally have been supplementing with Floradix since I was 15 years old and have used it in my practice for 12 years with proven results.

I recommend Floradix® Liquid Iron because it is non-constipating and clinically proven to normalize low iron levels.

(1) “Efficacy and tolerability of low-dose supplements during pregnancy: a randomized trial” (2003), 78 Am J Clin Nutr: 145-153.