Role of Iron during Pregnancy

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Role of Iron during Pregnancy
During pregnancy Iron is very necessary due to increased requirement of hemoglobin and Iron is the main component in formation of hemoglobin. The normal requirement of iron in a woman who is not pregnant its 15mg while for those who are pregnant the requirements increases to 30-50mg mostly at the beginning of the last 20 weeks. Such increase is almost 100% on the normal requirements (Bhatia, 83).
Therefore, it`s necessary for the pregnant women to source. In most cases women are not able to get the required levels of iron through diet such as meat which has heme iron which is easily absorbed by the body unlike nonheme iron from other sources which are not easily absorbed by the body (Bettytheberge, p4). It is therefore very much advisable to use iron supplements to boost any deficiency.
The fetus is fully supported by the mothers in terms of iron and other minerals required. There is increase in blood volume required by the fetus. Additional need of blood requires red blood cells which are formed by iron (Carp, 162). The fetus and the mother have independent blood which does not mix up but its formation depends on the minerals which are being taken by the mother. The increase of blood volume will demand for more supply of Iron which is essential for the mother to get iron supplements besides having a diet rich in iron and other minerals supportive in development of the fetus (Jones and Hudson, 94).
Despite of the increase on blood volumes during pregnancy there are also likely hood of losing more blood during delivery (Walker and Humphries, 216). Such loss of blood will need to be replaced for those who experience several bleeding during delivery undergo blood transfusion but most of them are left to regenerate blood naturally to appreciable levels (Primalani, par 6). This emphasizes on need of iron even after delivery. If the (mother had iron deficiency will experience difficulties in generating the additional volume of blood to meet what would have been lost during delivery (Home Family, Par 7).
Deficiency of Iron is characterized by many signs but the most observed and sever symptoms which would affect the health status of the child to be born and the mother are; it strains the heart of the mother as the heart try to pump the insufficient blood through the mother and fetus systems (Bedi, par 3). Risk on illness increases and the woman would also suffer from fatigue.
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