Iron tablets in pregnancy: what to know

Iron helps make haemoglobin, the part of red blood cells that carries oxygen. Low iron can contribute to iron-deficiency anaemia, which may cause fatigue, pale skin, cold hands and feet, generalised weakness, or restless legs. These symptoms can have other causes, so they do not confirm a deficiency by themselves. Read more about [Iron Deficiency Anaemia](/conditions/iron-deficiency-anaemia/) and [Oral Iron Salts](/materials/oral-iron-salts/).

Your clinician may review your blood count, iron stores, diet, previous results, and stage of pregnancy. A prenatal vitamin and a separate iron tablet are not automatically interchangeable; their ingredients and amounts can differ.

Follow the label or prescription, swallow the tablet with water, and keep it away from children. Some people absorb oral iron better away from meals, while others need food to reduce nausea; use the instructions given for your specific product. Tea, coffee, calcium supplements, and some medicines can interfere with absorption, so ask a pharmacist how to space them.

Constipation, nausea, stomach discomfort, and darker stools can occur. Tell your clinician if these problems are difficult to manage, if you vomit after taking a dose, or if you cannot continue the treatment. Do not double a missed dose unless your prescriber tells you to.

Contact your maternity team promptly for persistent vomiting, severe abdominal pain, marked weakness, fainting, breathlessness at rest, or signs of an allergic reaction such as swelling of the face or difficulty breathing. Seek urgent help for heavy bleeding, chest pain, or sudden severe breathlessness. If your symptoms continue despite treatment, arrange a review so the cause and your blood results can be reassessed.

Ask which iron preparation you need, when to take it, how long it is planned for, and whether it should be separated from your prenatal vitamin or other medicines. You can also ask when your blood count will be rechecked and what to do if constipation or nausea makes the tablets hard to take.