[bhanu007]

My Name is Divya. My Due date for Delivery si 10th June. my HB level is at 7.2. Is it a problem? what precautions I need to take from here? Please help me on this one

[smoothy]

WHy aren't you asking your OB?GYN for this advice?

[J_9]

You should be taking your Iron pills daily.

[bhanu007]

Taking iron pills getting stomach upset and getting vomitings. We asked our doctor she suggest that go for injection because it is already 37 weeks which is nearer to Birth date but our family doctor suggest to go for blood transfusion.So whch one is best . Could you please suggest which one we go for?

[J_9]

I am not familiar with the injections you speak of. Traditionally I do transfusions.

Have you tried taking the iron at bedtime so as to sleep through the symptoms?

[bhanu007]

Yes I tried at bedtimes and still getting vomitings. So Can we go for blood transfusion? Is it safe? How much iron level(mg) it will increase with single unit? Is it enough with single unit. Please suggest

[J_9]

This is something you really need to discuss with your obstetrician. Where I am from transfusions are very safe and I do them frequently, however I cannot testify how safe they are in your area of the world.

[bhanu007]

Thanks for your answers. Can you suggest any food items at this time which will increase iron?

[J_9]

Red meat, egg yolks, dark green leafy vegetables, beans, lentils and liver are just a few items you could add to your diet to help increase your hemoglobin levels.

[smoothy]

Dark leafy green vegetables (which are always good to eat) as well as red meat are high in iron. (late edit: J_9 gave a much better list than I did)

[DoulaLC]

For future reference, in addition to foods high in iron, some women will find that taking a liquid iron supplement (along with orange juice or vitamin C) causes less stomach upset than the iron tablets.

However, at 37 weeks, supplements won't raise your level quickly enough before you give birth. It's important to have an adequate iron level as you will have some bleeding during birth and after birth. Even more important if you were to need a cesarean section. It is also important for baby in the early months after birth if you considering breastfeeding... although most babies would be fine regardless.

Discuss with your OB which option she prefers and why. Have her go over the benefits and risks of both options. Also, talk with her before supplementing so that you can be sure of proper dosage, especially if you are going to have either iron injections or a transfusion.