Side effects of iron pills for pregnant women

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Iron is essential for pregnant women, but the use of iron pills for pregnant women may experience some side effects such as constipation, digestive stimulation,... These side effects are mostly does not affect pregnant women and fetuses. However, to limit the side effects of iron pills, pregnant women should eat enough nutrients, have a moderate lifestyle as well as avoid stress.

1. How important is iron for pregnant women?

Iron is essential to make hemoglobin (hemoglobin is an important component of blood). This is also a mineral that needs to be supplemented during pregnancy. If the pregnant woman does not provide enough iron, the fetus will use the iron in the mother's blood to form and grow. Therefore, the mother will be iron deficient during pregnancy. Besides, mothers also need iron supplements to have enough reproductive health and take care of their children later.
During pregnancy, the mother's blood volume increases by 50%, but iron is not always well absorbed by the body, so during pregnancy, the mother often suffers from iron deficiency anemia.
Iron deficiency during pregnancy will cause symptoms such as fatigue and oxygen transport to the pregnant mother and baby will be severely affected if iron deficiency. In addition, iron also helps pregnant mothers eat well, thereby providing adequate nutrients for the fetus. In addition, iron deficiency during pregnancy also increases the risks such as:
Making pregnant women feel anorexia, difficulty sleeping, fatigue and especially the mother's resistance is reduced leading to infection. Babies are at high risk for anemia at birth. Iron deficiency during pregnancy will increase the risk of premature birth, infection or postpartum hemorrhage, body weakness... Children with fetal malnutrition or premature birth, low birth weight Affect physical development as well as the brain of children later. Therefore, during pregnancy, it is necessary to supplement iron for pregnant women with drugs and daily nutrition to avoid the risk of iron deficiency.

2. Side effects of iron pills for pregnant women

Iron is essential for pregnant women, but the use of iron pills for pregnant women may experience some side effects. The side effects of iron pills for pregnant women include:
Constipation : Constipation is the most common side effect of iron pills during pregnancy. To limit this situation, pregnant women should eat a lot of fiber-rich foods and drink at least 2 liters of water a day, exercise regularly. If constipation persists, signs of worsening, pregnant women need to visit a medical facility for examination. Digestive stimulation: One of the side effects of iron pills for pregnant women is digestive stimulation. Pregnant women may experience abdominal pain or cramping when taking iron tablets. To limit this situation, pregnant women should start taking iron tablets with meals to minimize the above symptoms. Nausea and vomiting: Iron pills can make morning sickness worse. Therefore, iron tablets should be taken with meals instead of on an empty stomach to relieve symptoms. If the symptoms of vomiting and nausea are more severe and accompanied by fever, pregnant women need to go to a medical facility for specialist examination. Dark stools and urine: There are some pregnant women when taking iron pills see a change in stool properties, darker stools, maybe green or black stools with dark urine. This side effect is normal and will go away when you stop taking the iron pill, so you shouldn't be too worried. The side effects of iron pills for pregnant women mostly do not affect the pregnant mother and the fetus. However, to limit the above side effects, pregnant women should eat enough nutrients, have a moderate lifestyle as well as avoid stress.

3. Iron supplements for pregnant women how to be reasonable?

According to recommendations, before planning a pregnancy, a woman needs to supplement iron at least 15mg/day. However, during pregnancy, the mother's body will need a larger amount of iron. If the iron supply is not enough, pregnant women will become anemic, affecting the health of mother and baby.
When the first pregnancy is discovered, pregnant women should use iron tablets every day, lasting until one month after giving birth. The supplement dose is 60mg of iron per day and should also use foods containing iron.
In addition to the side effects of iron pills as above, iron tablets have the advantage of being easy to take, not causing nausea but less absorbed than water iron and causing more heat. Therefore, when adding iron tablets, pregnant women need to pay attention to some notes as follows:
Pregnant women should take iron tablets on an empty stomach. Iron is easily absorbed with vitamin C-rich water, so taking iron with vitamin C will enhance iron absorption. Iron should be taken 1-2 hours after eating for the best absorption of iron by the body. Pregnant women should not take iron pills at the same time as calcium supplements or calcium-rich foods, milk because calcium can interfere with the absorption of iron. When taking iron tablets, pregnant women should remember to drink plenty of water and eat foods rich in fiber to prevent side effects of constipation. Water to take iron tablets should only be boiled and cooled, avoid tea or coffee because it will reduce the absorption of iron tablets. Iron supplements should not be given to pregnant women who are sensitive to iron II sulfate or where the body has an excess of iron. However, before using iron supplements, pregnant women need to consult a specialist, not to use them on their own. In addition, when using iron tablets pregnant women need to follow the doctor's instructions, avoiding excessive iron supplements can cause the risk of cirrhosis, cardiomyopathy, diabetes.

The first 3 months is the most sensitive time during pregnancy, in addition to paying attention to the right amount of iron supplementation, for a healthy pregnancy, parents should note:
Understand the early signs of pregnancy , pregnancy poisoning , bleeding in pregnancy . Timely, correct and sufficient first prenatal check-up, avoiding too early/too late. Fetal malformation screening at 12 weeks detects dangerous fetal malformations that can be intervened early. Differentiate between normal vaginal bleeding and pathological vaginal bleeding for timely intervention to maintain pregnancy. Screening for thyroid disease in the first 3 months of pregnancy avoids dangerous risks before and during delivery. Vinmec currently has many maternity packages (12-27-36 weeks), in which the 12-week maternity package helps to monitor the health of mother and baby right from the beginning of pregnancy, early detection and timely intervention of health issues. In addition to the usual services, the maternity monitoring program from 12 weeks has special services that other maternity packages do not have such as: Double Test or Triple Test to screen for fetal malformations; Quantitative angiogenesis factor test to diagnose preeclampsia; thyroid screening test; Rubella test; Testing for parasites transmitted from mother to child seriously affects the baby's brain and physical development after birth.
For detailed information about the 12-week maternity package and registration, you can contact the clinics and hospitals of Vinmec health system nationwide.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.