Optimal iron nutrition is not always present during pregnancy. Read on to find out which factors can affect iron nutrition.
There is a high prevalence of adverse outcomes of pregnancy across the world. These outcomes can be life threatening for both the mother and her baby. Poor nutrition increases the risk of ill health and limits the ability of the mother to provide an adequate supply of nutrients to the developing fetus. This could result in a greater risk of poor physical and neurological development and a greater risk of ill health later in life.
Iron can be harmful and careful attention should be paid to the Recommended Daily Allowances, particularly women who are in their childbearing age. A balanced nutritional diet is vital and plays a role in the production of reproductive health and pregnancy outcomes.
Iron absorption of 10% of dietary intake, which is the usual rate, increases to 25%-30% in the second half of pregnancy, together with an increase in the amount of protein transferrin which influences the capability for iron absorption. Each day during the last trimester of pregnancy, the fetus retains a total of 3.5mg of iron.
It is important to mention that in countries where there is low socioeconomics; inadequate funds for appropriate foods and poor knowledge of nutrition, there is an increased prevalence of maternal morbidity and fetal mortality. Poor women are more prone to enter pregnancy in a state of poor iron nutrition. However, even among economically well-off women, optimal iron nutrition is not always present. This is due to a willfully reduced total intake of food, increased consumption of highly refined food and food fads. Interestingly, pica, the practice of eating starch (amylophagia), clay (geophagia), blocks of magnesia, numerous candy bars, ice (pagophagia) and perhaps even pickles and ice-cream during pregnancy is common and bears a special relationship with iron deficiencies. The practice of pica is said to be rooted in custom and superstition and is present among black women in the south and west, and strongly suggests that the presence of iron deficiency is a factor for practicing pica.
Nutritional supplements are important as preventative strategies against adverse pregnancy outcomes.
A randomized controlled trial of iron supplementation showed that the prevalence of preterm birth was lower with universal supplementation of 30mg of iron compared with placebo among women with sufficient iron stores at the start of pregnancy. Other studies showed beneficial effects on reducing the incidence of preterm low-birth-weight infants.
Resources:
1. Guthrie HA. Introductory Nutrition, 4th ed. Toronto : CV Mosby Company, 1979.
2. Halpern SL. Quick Reference to Clinical Nutrition. Toronto. J.B. Lippincott Company, 1989.
3. Mann J, Truswell SA. Essentials of Human Nutrition. OxfordUniversity press. 1998:194-476.
Would you like to read more articles about Iron?
