Having adequate iron levels is important for everyone, but may be even more important for those that are pregnant. Your body uses iron to transport oxygen from the lungs throughout the rest of the body, and to your baby’s body. During pregnancy, iron is also used by your body to make extra blood for your baby. Ensuring that you have adequate levels of this necessary nutrient can help you to avoid anemia, which is more common in pregnant and postpartum women, and in some cases decrease your baby’s risk of anemia as well.

Your care provider may do a blood test to check your iron levels early on in your pregnancy. Since it is quite common for pregnant individuals to have less than idea iron levels, eating a diet rich in iron containing foods can help to decrease your risk of deficiency. You may even consider adding in these iron rich food before conception, to help give your body a jump start on the increased needs it will soon have.

Foods that are rich in iron include dark leafy greens, red and organ meats, baked potatoes with skin, blackstrap molasses, beans, nuts, seeds, and oatmeal. To help aid in the absorption of the iron in these foods, try eating them along with foods that are high in vitamin c, such as citrus fruits, bell pepper, broccoli, burssels sprouts, strawberries, and pineapple. You may also consider cooking in cast iron cookware, as some of the iron does absorb into your food. Additionally, you may want to avoid eating your iron rich foods along with coffee/tea, dairy, and whole grains. These foods lower the absorption of iron, so not eating them in the same meal helps to decrease that effect.

For some pregnant individuals, supplementing iron may still be necessary. If your levels continue to be less than optimal, talk to your care provider about adding a supplement to your daily routine.