Iron results

[Molly161018]

InflammationCRP HS - 1.640 mg/L (Range: < 3)

Iron status

Iron - 13.9 umol/L (Range: 10 - 30)

TIBC - 75.5 umol/L (Range: 45 - 81)

UIBC - 61.6 umol/L (Range: 13 - 56)

Transferrin Saturation - 18.4 % (Range: 25 - 45)

Ferritin - 8.99 ug/L (Range: 30 - 169)

Appreciate some feedback on the above results. Stopped taking iron supplements due to saturation indicating I was over supplementing. Saturation has now shot down below the normal range. Now 33 weeks pregnant .

Thanks in advance 🙂

[FallingInReverse]

I have never been pregnant taking iron supplements. But looking at your iron panel without consideration for the pregnancy - the answer is yes, you need to supplement.

In terms of how much… a quick glance at your last posts and looks like you have yo-yo’d under and over for iron status.

What you want is a homeostasis- where you intake just enough iron so your iron is 55-70% through range and your saturation percent at least 25% and ideally ~35-40% while steering clear of anything over that.

So you should look back at the amount of supplementation where you went over and take a note to not supplement that much.

Somewhere between no supplement and that other amount… will be what you need to maintain.

Again - you should also figure how your pregnancy will impact your own iron and how iron will impact the baby!

[humanbean]

Inflammation

CRP HS - 1.640 mg/L (Range: < 3)

Iron status

Iron - 13.9 umol/L (Range: 10 - 30) 19.5% through the range

TIBC - 75.5 umol/L (Range: 45 - 81) 85% through the range

UIBC - 61.6 umol/L (Range: 13 - 56) Above range

Transferrin Saturation - 18.4 % (Range: 25 - 45) Under range

Ferritin - 8.99 ug/L (Range: 30 - 169) Under range

I have information on optimal levels for iron for men and non-pregnant women but nothing about optimal for pregnant women, so these aren't particularly useful for you but they are just for info, and might be useful after you've given birth :

rt3-adrenals.org/Iron_test_...

Having no medical training, and never having given birth, I don't want to suggest anything for you because I worry about saying something harmful.

These are some links I thought might be helpful - last updated Oct 2019 :

Title : UK guidelines on the management of iron deficiency in pregnancy

Link : onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...

And dated March 2023 :

Title : Guideline for the Management of Iron Deficiency Anaemia in Pregnancy and the

Postnatal Period

Link : barnsleyhospital.nhs.uk/sit...

Inflammation (CRP HS) can raise ferritin and make it look better than it really is. Optimal in non-pregnant women is under 1, and yours is not a long way from that which makes sense to me. I can't imagine a good reason for pregnancy to raise inflammation and yours is well in range, although just a tiny amount over optimal.