'Avoid iron supplements when pregnant'

Last Modified: 31 May 2007
Source: ITN

Women have been advised not to take iron supplements during pregnancy unless they are anaemic.

A study has found that women who take iron supplements in pregnancy are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure and deliver smaller babies.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) already recommends that pregnant women get iron from their diet rather than supplements.

Iron had previously been recommended in pregnancy because it was thought to help promote growth of the placenta and baby.

Research published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, found that iron supplements also increase the risk of copper and zinc deficiency in women.

The Iranian study followed 727 women who did not have anaemia, of whom 370 were given a 150mg ferrous sulphate (iron preparation) tablet every day throughout pregnancy while 357 were given a dummy pill.

Researchers, from Tarbiat Modarres University in Tehran, found that women taking the tablets were more likely to develop high blood pressure and more likely to have a baby that was small for its gestational age (SGA).

According to the FSA, pregnant women should ensure they eat plenty of iron-rich foods to avoid becoming deficient.

Foods rich in vitamin C - such as fruit or vegetables or a glass of fruit juice - should be taken with an iron-rich meal to help the body absorb it.

Good sources of iron include red meat, pulses, bread, dried apricots, dark green vegetables and fortified breakfast cereals.

Women are told to avoid eating iron-rich liver while pregnant.

If a woman's iron levels become too low, her doctor or midwife may recommend a supplement.

The study showed that women taking iron tablets were about three times more likely to have high blood pressure than the control group, and about one-and-a-half times more likely to have a baby with SGA.

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