Iron is an essential component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. İron supports muscle metabolism and healthy connective tissue. Iron is also required for physical growth, neurological development, cellular function, and the synthesis of certain hormones.
Iron requirement increases during pregnancy.
During pregnancy, iron requirements increase significantly as the mother’s blood volume expands and the fetus grows and develops. The recommended daily iron intake for women of childbearing age who is not pregnant is 18 mg. During pregnancy, this recommendation increases to 27 mg.
Low iron intake during pregnancy can have negative consequences.
Iron deficiency during pregnancy is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including low birth weight, premature delivery, and intrauterine growth restriction. In addition, insufficient iron intake during pregnancy is associated with autism, schizophrenia and abnormal brain structure in infants.
Eat iron-rich foods.
Red meat, poultry, and fish are iron-rich foods, and the iron found in these foods is highly absorbable. Dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts and dried fruits also contain iron, but the absorption of plant-based iron is low.
Increase the absorption of plant-based iron.
Vitamin C increases the absorption of plant-based iron. Therefore, vegetable sources of iron should be consumed with fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C. Eating plenty of salad with the chickpea dish, eating almonds with tangerine and squeezing lemon on the arugula can be given as examples of this combination.
Demir emilimini azaltan besinlere dikkat edin.
Polyphenols found in tea and coffee and calcium found in foods such as milk, yogurt, ayran and kefir can reduce the absorption of iron. For this reason, if vegetable iron sources are consumed in the meal, yoghurt and ayran should not be added to the meal, but should be consumed as a snack and tea and coffee should be drunk 1 hour after the meal.
Iron supplementation may be required under physician control.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a daily iron supplement of 30-60 mg for pregnant women. Iron supplementation should be planned specifically for the health status and diet of the pregnant woman and should be used under the physician control.
Resources:
- Georgieff M. K. (2020). Iron deficiency in pregnancy. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 223(4), 516–524. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2020.03.006
- https://www.who.int/data/nutrition/nlis/info/antenatal-iron-supplementation
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/
- Brannon, P. M., & Taylor, C. L. (2017). Iron Supplementation during Pregnancy and Infancy: Uncertainties and Implications for Research and Policy. Nutrients, 9(12), 1327. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9121327
- Georgieff, M. K., Krebs, N. F., & Cusick, S. E. (2019). The Benefits and Risks of Iron Supplementation in Pregnancy and Childhood. Annual review of nutrition, 39, 121–146. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-nutr-082018-124213
