I wrote before my iron level is 10,8 at 28 week. My gynocologist in my home country told me it is low (it should be at least 11, normal is 12 worldwide) and I should take at least 100 mg iron. I can not go my country for the tablets nor my family can send. I started spatone but it is 5 mg. Is it enough? Is there anybody who takes this and see difference before and after? I think I can take it up to two sachets. Any advice
Spatone Iron Sachets and Anemia - Pregnancy and Par...
Spatone Iron Sachets and Anemia
Written by
salmon_finland
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
63 Replies
•
My advice would be as per NICE guidance - 10.5 is the evidence based cut off we use here. If you weren't pregnant, with a Hb of above 10, and asymptomatic with no 'red flags', I would probably simply monitor you... Drugs are not a quick fix to everything, they all have side effects and when to use them is a risk benefit decision...
I took myself off iron post-natally, inspite of my Hb of 6, as the constipation was horrendous - even with ferrous fumerate... I make sure I have an iron rich diet, and certainly have not been left with symptomatic anaemia. Baby is not anaemic either because of it.
If you are hell bent on ignoring everything you have been told by UK health professionals, seeking second opinions on everything, and devlating us 'wrong' in spite of a huge evidence base to the contrary, and continue to quite like slating the nice free NHS ante-natal care you are receiving, can I suggest you opt out of NHS care all together? There are millions of women out there who would literally kill for the care you are getting (and who still face a very high maternal and foetal mortality even in 2013!)
So, can I take 5 mg spatone with 10,8?
You said free Nhs it is good maybe for you and UK people since you do not have idea about the countries system. But in my country also everything free and we have more than 12 ultrasound for free every month and for the last monts twice a month sometimes. ( devices are not compariable here 4D/3D ) Also there is no limit in blood tests or ultrasound. I am disappointed when I see here only 2 ultrasound or 1 blood test at 28 and no other. But thanks for advice..
My level was 13,7 at 10 weeks. Now 10,8.. I have fears about fainting during birth. So my point is to keep my iron level high.
...not to mention the very real problems caused by TOO MUCH iron in pregnancy and links to gestational diabetes, foetal demise, pregnancy induced hypertension, and growth problems in baby...
can't really advise. It may be common in your country but in the uk gps tend not to like prescribing anything they really don't have to. Some people think its a money saving exercise but really its because any medication has side effects and they tend to weigh up whether or not side effects out weigh risk. 10.8 is on the lower side but think its within safe bounds. Besides your iron levels can change very very quickly. Mine went from being fine one week to being extremely anaemic the next and have just had to adjust every time a blood tests come back. In fact last time they came back was above 12 and I've been on 210mg at that point three times a day. Because become so high normal advise would be to stop taking, instead was reduce to one a day and just see what next results were. Just didn't want me coming off completely because I've been so very changeable and don't want them dropping down too low again. If yours is staying at the same level I wouldn't worry to much. Your baby will be fine. Our bodies take care of them very well, despite what's happening to us. I know the nhs probably seems to be taking less of an interest than you think should be over this, but they do have one of the best maternity systems in the world, and if you really needed extra iron they would give you it x
Well said Dr Fluffy! I'm sorry but if the UK isn't good enough for you, providing everything for free then maybe as Dr Fluffy says, opt out of NHS and pay private! Or have your baby in your home country.. if it's so much better than here.
salmon_finland in reply to
In this country private system is also expensive compared to given care. I have no chance now to go my country since the flights dont take pregnants after 28 week. We will definetely move after giving birth.
in reply to salmon_finland
You can fly after 28weeks with a certificate from your doctor. So...have a safe flight!
in reply to salmon_finland
I honestly don't understand why you think or believe your iron levels are "dangerously" low.
If im honest Im a bit reluctant in answering the questions you post on this forum because you're asking for advise to then forget about what you've gained to do the opposite.
cheekymonkey3791 in reply to
Hear Hear...you said what we all thinking, I NEVER respond
in reply to cheekymonkey3791
I just don't believe in upsetting someone for no reason at all!
I wouldn't mind responding if i think the advise is well received.
Some things differ from country to country...we r lucky in the usa u pay taxes and for healthcare and I kno first hand at how expensive it can b in the Philippines u hav to pay for an ambulance etc...ok here u still pay tax but nhs is free. ..if I was moving to a country and having a baby there I wud find out about the way their systems work before slagging them off, we hav tried to help with ur questions but every time u just ignore our answers so and urs frustrating coz nothing anyone says helps. U really need to b having this conversation with ur gp.
Nhs rocks!!!!
in reply to 2princes1princess
Haha, I wouldn't go so far to say NHS Rocks!!
But they're not so bad when you consider the tax &National Insurance contributions we all pay : )
There are other means of transport...Ferry?
I know but my country has no ferry connection
My fear is fainting during/after birth beacuse of low iron level. I feel tired and sleepy now. I have 9 weeks and there is no blood test. How can I be sure my level gets lower than 10,8 during 2 months? I dont want change NHS. I have concerns but nobody take into account this like gp. Gp is not professional this is the bad system I dont like. In my country we always see professional doctor there is no GP. GP can be for like flu basic stuff not for pregnancy.
in reply to salmon_finland
If Ur concerned speak to ur midwife apart from Dr fluffy who has given her medical opinion we are all just pregnant ladies that can't give u medical advice just reassurance. ...I understand it may be hard for u given our system is very different to urs but if u are really really concerned and don't trust it then u can get a g.p letter saying ur fit to fly and the airline will accept that and then have the baby at home that's the only advice I can give
salmon_finland in reply to
Thanks.. I hope I can..
in reply to
I'm sure u could pay for a private blood test nearer the time...google it
salmon_finland in reply to
I searched I will go but they want approvement from gp even it is private
in reply to salmon_finland
I'm sure ur g.p will give u a letter ur have to pay for it
salmon_finland in reply to
For blood test or gp approval? I am ready to pay if I find
in reply to salmon_finland
G.p letter and blood test look at spire Bushey hospital is near Watford
salmon_finland in reply to
Thanks I will check..
in reply to salmon_finland
Feeling tired & sleepy is a "completely" natural thing for any expecting / new mother to feel.
If your fear is about fainting during or after birth maybe you might want to seek some sort of counselling away from your G.P's hands (like Dr fluffy said)
we (shall I say I ) don't want to upset you but they're are many ways in which you can seek help & maybe this website / forum is not one of them.
xx
GPs are professionals who are highly trained to look after pregnant women. To say they only do "basic stuff" misunderstands the incredible job they do.
I dont think so they are professionals. My husband had pinchy shoulder and they just give exercise and send home. Then we learned that this type of exercises are more dangerous for nerves and shoulders. In my country in this sitiuation we go directly norologist and have a scan and we can immediately know what is wrong wrong with the nerves and shoulder the same day. So my husband lost 1 months with the pain and no progress. He will go to dr in my country again.
Omg.........
Tiredness comes with the territory thts how it is. Ring ur midwife unit then!!?Seriously if there was an issue they wud of said something in 30 weeks and as u had bloods at 28 weeks and no one said anything about ur iron wud mean its fine. Not so sure why ur hell bent on taking something thts unnecessary and ignoring everyones opinion . I comment to try and help u but u ignore and write the question. .its frustrating and quite rude!!!
I think it is evident that no one agrees with the negative view you have of the NHS and GP's and indeed the knowledge of people in Britain about our service and services across the world....especially as, from what you yourself has written, you have not even suffered a disservice at the hands of the NHS so therefore have no real grounds to label any of it a "bad service". Please stop digging a bigger hole for yourself and only ask questions if you have any intention of listening even vaguely to the advice offered by those of us on the forum. If we don't say what you want to hear, don't rephrase the question......it doesn't make people change their advice, just repeat themselves and get frustrated. Also, if what anyone on here says to you is not to your satisfaction (and we aren't professionals in the pregnancy game) please feel free to seek professional advice and research on the internet. I have found that I have received amazing support from many ladies on here and had a laugh whilst seeking advice, opinions and venting pregnancy related frustrations/upsets. All this has been offered to you, but repeatedly rejected by you. Perhaps you should consider what you realistically expect/want to gain from this forum
Assuming ur from finland ur country has 50 million less people in ur country than this one...so ur home country may hav the extra money to provide scans for shoulder strains and neurological appointments on demand but here money is needed elsewhere in the nhs. I don't kno how ur country works so I don't slag it off, unfortunately people who come here and live and r happy to use the services but r also happy to slag off the professionals who look after us really do my head in. I don't wana post on here again as u have actually really annoyed me
salmon_finland in reply to
I am not from finland my country population is more than 75 million.
OK, first of all I am sorry for the bashing you received in this forum. Being in a foreign country is a scary experience. Not only do you have to deal with a culture shock but there is also a communication issue with regards to the use of english.
As somebody who has been exposed to healthcare environments in different countries I can honestly say that one country is not better than another (at least in the western world) in terms of providing healthcare. Of course there are differences and tweaks here and there but overall they are comparable.
What your doctors here and the participants in this website are trying to tell you is that your perception of "dangerously low iron levels" is not really the case from a medical point of view and that if you take iron supplements unsupervised you will do more harm in your health than good. The NHS system will continue monitoring your iron levels until and after birth, so you shouldn't worry about it.
To reassure you the medical guidelines of what is anaemia in pregnancy are the same in UK, Canada and Australia. In US their cut off point is 11 but they tend to be a bit more risk averse. To be in real trouble your haemoglobin would need to be much much lower than 10..
salmon_finland in reply to
In my country cut off 12 also, the worldwide is 12 I think.
in reply to salmon_finland
No that is not right I am afraid. There is a difference in the definition of anaemia for the normal population and pregnant women. I don't speak Finnish to read the guidelines in your country but as I mentioned above I checked the guidelines in UK, US, Canada and Australia.
salmon_finland in reply to
For pregnant 11 in my country. I am not Finnish but I know in Finland is 12.
in reply to salmon_finland
I hope by now you have realised that 10.8 is not to worry about at all. For your information severe anaemia is defined as below 7. Also for your information after birth: haemoglobin levels of 10 are normal in post partum period according to WHO guidelines.
**YAWN** Moving on, got better things to do with my time whilst I wait for my LO's arrival. Good Luck finding the answers you want but you are not going to find them here and from what I have been reading today within the UK either
Snap cheekymonkey. ..also need to wash my hair....hav a gd day ladies.
in reply to
Haha, OMG Ladies that's a bit harsh!!
cheekymonkey3791 in reply to
She is just talking to the wrong people, we cannot help her and those that are trying to point her in the right direction just get the 'yes but' response... at the end of the day I have found this site and the lovely people on it so supportive during good and bad times throughout this pregnancy and am frustrated that much of the advice and support being offered today is being blatantly ignored.
This is one for the health professionals, the MW, the GP and the Consultants - Even DrFluffy has been ignored and we ALL LOVE DrFluffy X
Lol..Not really the amount of posts I hav taken time too comment on with my opinion to b ignored or for the questions to b written again (this quest ion has been asked 4 times in a roundabout way) and I am bored of it tbh, my baby is due in a week and I genuinely hav to wash my hair whats up with that...if u saw it u wud understand lol. Unfortunately I haven't said anything tht I wudnt of said to anyones face.
And if it's 10.8 is nearly 11! So ur fine is not low! Like Dr fluffy said to much iron can damage baby!
salmon_finland in reply to
Actually my question is 10,8 maybe fine but what will happen during 10 weeks I have. For example if it drops to 9?
I ended up on iron tablets in late pregnancy. However they made no difference during and after labour, due to the labour myy level dropped to 7.6. After labour, due to blood loss it was un the 5.5. And thry discharged me when ot was back at 7.6. I did not pass out or faint and had a good Labour. Even if you have iron supplements now it only increases your level my 0.1 a week approx. Unless u are feeling horrendous now they are pretty pointless and will not mean anything when it comes to giving birth. Sorry
I am one of those people who is a little frustrated, I answered your VERY SIMILAR thread last week and tried to help but now that has been ignored!
As I stated before, my level was 10.4 at 27 + 2 and I had the option to go onto iron tablets. On the advice of my midwife I actually opted for Spartone supplement as it is less harsh on the digestive system and hopefully won't make me constipated! Nearly 3 weeks later, I'm feeling better and the bowels are still moving 
To be 10.8 at 28 weeks is well above the UK cut off and not far off 11 which is the cut off in other countries! They take into account that your levels may drop slightly in the last 10 weeks and therefore I believe the cut off at 35 weeks (when Im next due to be tested ) is 10.
I have to say that even though my level was 10.4 I still felt OK physically. I felt a bit tired but just put that down to general pregnancy. I'm still doing an hour of Zumba 3 times a week and have done since 13 weeks so it can't be that bad!
As for feeling faint during labour, unless you are having a home birth, they will monitor you closely and take bloods if necessary. If you start to feel unwell, tell someone! They will help you. Same goes for rest of pregnancy really. If you get to 34-35 and are feeling exhausted and worried about iron level, tell your midwife. They will prob arrange a blood test for you.
The system helps you if you need it
Hope that helps, it's just my opinion and experience cos our due dates must be similar,
xXx
Wow, good morning everyone!
I didn't mean to get involved in this discussion here but thought I'd add my bit after all.
I haven't read precious questions so maybe the frustration by many of you is justified but at the same time I feel that some of these comments here are quite rude and unnecessary. If I were at the receiving end of them I'd get really upset by them.
As I said, if previous support on here has been ignored or the NHS slagged off, then I understand the frustration but is there a need to members on here to take it to this level? Why not just ignore the post altogether then? I think some of the comments are quite hurtful...
And whilst I think the NHS is - per se - an excellent system which helps everyone in this country for free, it does have its faults and coming from a different country myself (Germany) I can sympathise with pregnant women who are used to a shall we say 'more thorough care' than what the NHS can supply. I myself have had many problems during my pregnancy with the NHS and have been left very frustrated:
- for my 12 week and 16 week appointments I was 'forgotten'. No one could explain why but my referrals had disappeared and I not only ended up paying privately but spent so much time on the phone and at the GP and hospital sorting this out
- when we finally got to the 16 week appointment we were told that all antenatal classes are already booked up in our area and we can't have one where we live - we now pay £280 for the NCT one... and we can't really afford that but don't quite qualify for a discount
- at 8 weeks I was told I'd need to have regular blood tests and need to be under special care at the hospital because of my under active thyroids. Since then I never received blood tests for that again and when I asked my GP for a test he was rather rude and finally agreed to one a week ago. When I then went in for my 28 week scan a very good midwife FINALLY read all my notes properly and another team from the hospital then also got involved and said this was neglected and I am now under special care with a consultant - a good 12 weeks too late. And considering this has had an impact on me, and can limit growth etc in the baby, I am shocked I wasn't taken more seriously when I questioned things. I now have heart palpitations that they have linked to it, and am waiting for other results. I also get an additional scan at 36 weeks because of the potential growth issue.
- at my 28 week scan I needed anti-d injections. And I know it's not nice of me but because of precious experiences I didn't trust the team and called the midwife team several times as well as checking with my GP to check who exactly was responsible for the ordering of the injections and asked whether they will definitely have them ready for me - and was laughed at, of course they'd be there. And now? Well, they weren't. I still haven't had my injections because they didn't order them in and I need to go back next week.
- physiotherapy: I am being referred to it due to a lot of back/pelvis/hip pain but have already been warned it'll take weeks
My cousin is 39 weeks pregnant in Germany and so I have immediate comparisons to her care there and as I said, the NHS does great things here, but I can't deny that I'm very jealous of her. She is seen by one midwife throughout who by now really knows her very well - I've never seen one midwife a second time, and mine are all so busy and have to rush you through that they don't take the time to read all notes. My cousin gets more frequent and more thorough check ups and it does involve more frequent scans too. I was really surprised to hear that on the NHS there is no scan after 20 weeks! She also suffered from extreme pain and was signed off sick early, but received physiotherapy the week she was referred.
Seeing all this happening I can't deny feeling down about the fact that I don't get that care here.
I think that many services on the NHS are great but I have felt let down many times and have lost faith in several GPs I've had, feeling they didn't actually want to help me but tick me off quickly.
I also remember moving to the UK and not understanding how women go to their GP for general gynaecological check ups! In Germany every woman has their own gynaecologist that they see once a year for smear tests and a general check up. You always have an ultrasound to check your ovaries and they check your breasts etc. When you are used to that detailed care it can be worrying when you move to a different country where this simply isn't the norm. And yes, I do fly back to Germany and pay for those check ups privately nowadays
I would never want to criticise the NHS in general, for example last year they did an amazing job on my disabled nephew who stopped breathing at night- there was an ambulance within minutes as well as an emergency doctor and his care in hospital was amazing, and my sister commented how efficient and quick everyone had been. And by the end of it all they just passed her a report and wished him well, no bills, no questions about where he was from etc. that was amazing.
And I had special care from the Fetal medicine unit at 20 weeks who did an Amazing job at reassuring me about my baby's echogenic bowl. I still don't know what might be wrong with it - they reckon it's cystic fibrosis - but the consultant was so understanding and helpful, it was so comforting.
What I have learnt over the years is that if you really feel you need a certain treatment or blood test or whatever it is, then you just need to be quite firm and not be sent away dissatisfied. My hospital also has a great walk in maternity unit where you can always go and where I know others have had additional scans of they were worried, on the day and without questions asked.
But I also think that the NHS is total overworked and can't deal with all the patients it's got for the budget it has and as a result waiting times for important treatments can be long, in some cases too long (I waited over 7 months for a bowl test with major pain where I had to stop working as I was too unwell... And interestingly two friends of mine had cysts on their ovaries at the same time, one went private through work and had an operation the same week, back to normal in no time, the other one was a student and had to wait half a year - she lost a lot of weight and had to drop out of Uni as she was too unwell).
I would rather pay more on NI etc every month if it meant I could get more thorough care and quicker referral times. And surely there could be benefits for those who can't pay that extra amount... But maybe that's because I have various health issues and do need to see the GP more often. My fiancée has always been perfectly happy with everything the NHS is and does, he hasn't needed any of their services in years! He's English and very proud of the system, but even he has started to get irritated with the lack of care and attention to detail throughout our pregnancy.
Either way, I don't know whether it's a nice thing to make nasty comments on here. If you disagree or find someone's post annoying then why not just ignore them? Whether you agree with the points of view or not, some of the comments here I'd consider bullying and unnecessary, and I'm surprised that this hasn't been addressed already. I'm don't want to take salmon_finland's side but being used to a different system like I am, I can see how she finds it unsettling now not receiving the same care as back home. It is unsettling. Because you feel it's not detailed enough, and we all probably find ourselves stressing out over various things during pregnancy that might be nothing but it's unfamiliar territory and can be scary. But ultimately you have to trust the doctors to do the right thing, it's just difficult to do so when you have had lack in care and not received necessary treatments. So personal I always feel I need to double-check things myself. Which is a bit sad. But there are options and yes you can fly until 35 weeks But if you spend money on a flight that late on during pregnancy you might as well have a private scan, which even in London only cost around £70, or a private blood test for reassurance.
Silke
in reply to SilkeP
I don't feel anyone on here is deluded enough to think the NHS is perfect....I myself have had experiences that I couldn't believe could occur! However, overall the service is fantastic and is what the UK has to offer. Repeated slagging off of the system based on no disservice or bad treatment is what annoys people here. It's baseless and insulting. The main issue here is that this question has been repeatedly asked and answered to no avail. Basically no one will advise this lady to take iron supplements as it may be detrimental to her health and her baby's and no one wants that for her. However, she will not listen and insists on pushing forward with it but still asking for back up about it. No one wants to see someone do something which may harm themselves and we have constantly referred her back to health professionals (as we are not, except one or two of course ) and have been met with further bashing of the professionals and the service, followed by being told those who live here cannot possibly understand healthcare elsewhere in the world....all of which is pretty much pointless communication so frustration has risen over time. It seems she can say what she likes but others cannot and now we are bullies?? I disagree fully with that and resent the ease at which these phrases are thrown around. People started out to help and support this lady as we do with one another....to ignore her repeatedly would be to exclude her which again I wouldnt find acceptable for people to do. She has been informed of the risks of what she wants to do now. So now it's up to her. Perhaps she should now stop asking for assistance in a situation she wants no assistance in. If she however ever posted something else that she needed answers/support for I'm certain people would be happy to be there for her.....as we have tried to be.....and hopefully not ignore her if she really needed something
in reply to SilkeP
Hi,
Can I firstly say Im sorry to hear about the ante-natal care & "lack" of support you've received from the healthcare professionals in this country. The reality is the NHS system in the U.K "especially" has dramatically changed in many parts of country in the last couple of years to the point of many women receiving very little to no care at all sometimes which is totally unacceptable (in my view)
I also wanted to say I " & I'm sure as-well as the other ladies on this forum would also say" was under no means harassing or bullying the the lady who posted the questions (regarding the use of iron supplements & anaemia)
I can "confidently" say this particular member ( to this forum) has continuously asked for advise & the answer to questions but seems to disregard & not take into consideration any of the effects of her potential choices. She has also gone as far as to compare the health-care she's being provided with as very unprofessional & to be totally unacceptable even though it seems she has being given quite a good amount of care from her G.P / community midwife's and etc.... due to her explanations in her posts/ questions she has posted.
If she has "like yourself" being ignored & dealt with "rudely" by her community midwife or G.P "for example" this is something which she would have'to decide in making / filing an formal complaint to her local councillor or the citizens advise bureau who could "confidently" deal with her case & take the appropriate action needed.
xx
I agree with what the ladies above have both said....no one here is being bullied she has asked for advice on the subject 4 times and we hav all said that what we feel but if u believe that u need extra support then only a professional can help u...we r just giving our opinions and if people want to take them on board then fair enough but what I think is rude is a constant questionning and a blatant ignoring of the answer...if that was a child or someone I knew I wud let them kno it was rude. No ur right the nhs isnt perfect. ..but I think I cud many people cud come up with pros and cons for the health care recieved in many countries. Unfortunately in this country it does depend where u live as to what is available and yes tht is crap, Unless there us a reason to hav a scan after 20 weeks u dont need one but obviously u shud hav had more..I myself hav had just 2 but I believe other people on this thread hav had more. I personally cant fault the service I hav received throughout my pregnancy and if I hav worries then I do ask a professional but also majority of the ladies on here r so friendly and r there to support each other as everyones pregnancy is different. The reason I carried on to post on the thread rather than ignore it was because I didnt feel salmon finland understood what we were saying and was just saying tht if we cant help then u need to find answers from a health professional.. I dont even kno whst my own iron levels are let alone whats normal for someone else. Whats normal in one country may not b normal somewhere else. ...
in reply to
Well said Ceri
I like the fact you mentioned that if it were to be a child who was continously asking the same question to then ignore what you've said you would let him/her know its wrong, as i gladly do this with my son who is nearly 5yrs old, "miss Salmon" should have no excuse.
xx
Well to the responses to silkep.. all I have to add is this article from the BBC news website..
Many woman take multivitamins in pregnancy
Healthy pregnant women should think twice before taking iron supplements, say researchers who have linked high doses to blood pressure problems.
Iron is often given to combat anaemia in pregnancy, but many women take extra iron, on its own or in a multivitamin.
The Iranian university study, published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, gave some women a 30mg daily dose as part of its research.
UK experts say that this amount should only be taken on GP advice.
The UK Food Standards Agency says that lower doses in UK multivitamins are unlikely to harm women.
Anaemia is often associated with low birth weight and preterm births, but this does not mean that women should be popping iron pills, or any vitamin pills indiscriminately
Professor Philip Steer, editor, British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Anaemia is a common condition in pregnant women, which, if left unchecked, can contribute to premature births and low birthweight babies.
It is caused by a lack of red blood cells, and taking iron on prescription helps the body produce more.
The researchers from Tarbiat Modarres University wanted to check the effect of iron supplements on women whose red blood cell level was normal.
They gave 370 women a 150mg dose of ferrous sulphate, which equates to approximately 30mg of actual iron, every day throughout their pregnancy.
A similar number of women were given a "placebo" dummy pill containing no iron.
Routine pills
The number of women with diagnosed high blood pressure - a disorder which can also cause problems for mother and baby - was higher in the women given the iron pills than in the other group.
Many countries still offer iron pills as a routine measure for all pregnant women, and lead researcher Professor Saedeh Ziaei said: "Our trial suggests that administering it even may have some disadvantages in non-anaemic women."
Professor Philip Steer, the editor of the BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, said: "Anaemia is often associated with low birth weight and preterm births, but this does not mean that women should be popping iron pills, or any vitamin pills indiscriminately, to prevent poor pregnancy outcomes."
We consider that the supplements available in this country are safe, and it is up to the individual woman to choose
Spokesman, Tommy's
A spokesman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said that women should avoid taking extra iron unless recommended by their doctor or midwife.
Routine iron supplementation is not practised in the UK, but blood is tested for signs of anaemia more than once during pregnancy as a matter of course.
However, many healthy pregnant women take once-a-day multivitamin pills that contain smaller doses of iron - normally around 100% of the recommended dose of 15mg.
Official bodies such as the Food Standards Agency recommend that pregnant women take extra vitamins such as folic acid and vitamin D, but don't encourage any other vitamin supplementation, saying that a balanced healthy diet provides all the vitamins needed. However, they said that taking 17mg or less a day - the amount UK multivitamin brands contain - was 'unlikely to be harmful.
Effects of an iron overdose...
Symptoms
Airways and lungs
Buildup of fluids in the lungs
Gastrointestinal system
Black and, possibly, bloody stools
Diarrhoea
Liver damage
Metallic taste in mouth
Nausea
Vomiting blood
Heart and blood
Dehydration
Low blood pressure
Fast and weak pulse
Shock
Nervous system
Chills
Coma (may occur within 1/2 to 1 hour after overdose)
Convulsions
Dizziness
Drowsiness
Fever
Headache
Lack of desire to do anything
Skin
Bluish-colored lips and fingernails
Flushing
Loss of color from the skin (pallor)
Need I say more...?
cheekymonkey3791 in reply to
Awesome response! Think that ought to quantify things. No supplements needed unless prescribed by a medical professional. I should go check what my Iron was at last bloods out of interest
Hello everyone,
I totally agree that it's neither nice nor helpful ignoring answers, especially when so many of you have made (by the looks of it) huge effort on several occasions to try and help, explain etc. So I'm with you on that one.
The parts I'm referring to is mainly when some just make comments about 'are we still going on about this', 'have a safe flight' or things along those lines. I'm not criticising comments in general, but felt that those were unnecessary. I guess as a teacher I'm a bit more careful when it comes to bullying - you'd be surprised how many complaints you get, and it has to be taken seriously. Of course it is no bullying trying to tell someone they should seek professional help or take advice on board, but several comments on here were - in my opinion - just added to ridicule a bit, such as "Yawn...still goin...". Just felt that was unnecessary, just leave the conversation in that case.
Other than that I'd probably agree with many of you that it is annoying if someone keeps asking the same question and either won't listen at all or is totally unwilling to take advice on board - I'm certainly not looking to get involved in any arguments here
Overall, I've found the comments and feedback on this forum very helpful, I've learnt a lot from other people's posts and responses to it and have also had useful replies to questions myself. Now here's hoping the NHS does a job job sorting out my Anti-D injections tomorrow and that the consultant on the 18th September finally works out what change in medication I need because of my thyroid problems - and I'll probably be a much happier bunny as well, shattered at the moment.
Have a good Sunday, Silke
in reply to SilkeP
Hi silkeP
I also hope you get the treatment & medication from the hospital / surgery tomorrow too.
Im glad you've also "partly" understood some of the comments made to Ms "Salmon-finland", as I mentioned in my reply yesterday me & I'm sure no-one else was deliberately bullying her but when you've repeatedly told someone something ( especially an adult) to then have the person ignore or ask the same question again in a different context is a bit annoying.
All the best
xx
Oh dear I don't know why people are being so touchy about this woman's concerns. It is very frightening giving birth in a foreign country with a different medical system. I have given birth in Ireland and France. Each have very different practices and also claim to have the best maternity systems in the world! It is very disconcerting receiving different advice and different care. I am in France at the moment and 36 weeks pregnant. I hope this can reassure you: I was prescribed iron tablets for anaemia but took them for a few days and felt horrible on them - vomittong, constipation (leading to piles!) I am taking 3 spatone a day now instead (it is more than the recommended dose... But I think better than the tablets) and am no longer anaemic. Different medical cultures have different practices and you have to see what works for you, but for me the tablets were way too much and I really felt they were damaging my health overall. Courage - I know it is challenging going through pregnancy and birth in a foreign country, but there are advantages to all the different approaches. Try your best to nest and make yourself feel as at home as possible. Stand your ground about how you wish to give birth and I'm sorry you have encountered such a bullying attitude online. Look after yourself xxx
Not what you're looking for?
You may also like...
Baby aspirin and iron tablets in IVF pregnancy.
and iron tablets at 12 weeks.
I went to my 36 week appointment and had a completely different...
Trying for a baby while changing careers-thoughts?
and I don’t know if I can rely on my new boss etc,?
I’m thinking that maybe I should hold off on...
Baby 5 months waking up every hours
couple of weeks. Before that she at least had a couple of hours in the evening before waking upe...
help with bottle feeding
a day when I thought at 9 weeks she should be drinking at least 720 a day. She has been in the...
8w5d pregnant and I’ve caught a cold
Pharmacist said I can only take Paracetamol, but it is not making me feel any better.
can a bad...
how to stop my breasts getting engorged
Why do I want to chew sponges?
Is this the end of breastfeeding?
struggling to get baby to nap/sleep
Toddler crying on waking 
