[CourtBChase]

So I am currently 27 weeks pregnant, and I was in last week for my GDS and they also drew blood for iron levels. At the beginning of my pregnancy I was very mildly anemic, and I took floridix for a while, but morning sickness got in the way and I fell out of the habit. Today I got a form letter saying my hemocrit was 31.6%, down from a previous test level of 33.7% and that I should try to add lots of iron rich foods to my diet. The letter didn't really say what level was normal or how bad my current levels are, so I am not sure how much I should be worried about this. The letter came from the medical lab, and not from my midwife's office. Does anyone here have any insights about what normal is, or how problematic it is if I don't manage to increase the levels from where they currently are? Thanks in advance.

 

[melamama]

I'm also 27 weeks

I would check with your midwife.

I think this is the time that your levels would go down (going into the 3rd tri), as the blood volume starts to really go up as the red blood cells are being used for growth. I think you're supposed to be closer to 35% though.

I always end up drinking Floradix in my third trimester. If you do red meat, this is the time to increase that too.

 

[JamieCatheryn]

At 28 weeks you're supposed to have the lowest levels of the pregnancy, I don't know about iron level readings but hemoglobin should go down to about 10 or even 9.5. If the lab wasn't taking your stage of pregnancy into account they could be just seeing a normal decrease. Are you feeling weak or dizzy or anything?

 

[CourtBChase]

I've been feeling fine, since morning sickness ended I have actually felt great. I have an appointment in two weeks, so I am going to just try to be more vigilant about taking supplements until then and ask my midwife. I assume she would have called if it was really important.

 

[mamatolevi]

I just had my ob work up at 10w and the report came back stating that the normal range is 35.0-46.0%. I don't know if that applies to early pgcy or if it would apply to the whole pregnancy.

hope that helps.

 

[JamieCatheryn]

Ok so if it's normal for hemoglobin to drop 16% of it's number would that translate directly to iron levels? If so 35% down to 30% would be perfect.

 

[doitmyselfmama]

I'm also a bit anemic in the third trimester. My midwives have said that the concern is IF I was to hemorrhage after baby is born, it would be more difficult for my body to recover than if I were not anemic. However, I didn't hemorrhage with my first, I'm not super worried. Talk to your midwife, and I'm sure you'll be put at ease. If Floradix isn't working for you, you could try spirulina (tablets or powder in apple juice).

 

[texasnurse3]

35% is a good goal, but it's probably more realistic to just aim for your hematocrit from your first trimester. When your hematocrit starts to get close to 30% is when anemia starts to be more of a concern. As a pp said, the concern is for when you bleed after the birth. Paying more attention to the amount of iron in your diet, increasing your vit C (to help iron absorption) and avoiding calcium at the same time that you eat iron-rich foods (b/c it inhibits iron absorption), plus starting the floridex again should help you reach and maintain a healthy level.

The levels that the lab puts as "normal" rarely apply to pregnancy.