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Four in five pregnant women in Ireland are iron deficient by third trimester, new study finds

The findings raise concerns as the people studied were “a low-risk and generally healthy cohort”.

FOUR OUT OF five pregnant women in Ireland are iron deficient by their third trimester, according to a study published today by University College Cork.

Iron deficiency during pregnancy is linked to increased risks of complications for both the mother and the child, including neurodevelopmental challenges for the baby.  

According to the researchers who contributed to the study, the findings raise concerns as the people studied were “a low-risk and generally healthy cohort”.   

The authors did reference that taking supplments is helpful, noting that “iron-containing supplements (mainly multivitamins) taken pre/early pregnancy were associated with a reduced risk of iron deficiency throughout pregnancy, including the third trimester.” 

This study was carried out by researchers at the Irish Centre for Maternal and Child Health and the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences in UCC in collaboration with the University of Minnesota and the Masonic Institute of the Developing Brain. 

Led by UCC’s Dr Elaine McCarthy, the study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 

The study analysed data collected from 641 women in Ireland who were carrying their first baby and had a successful delivery.  

Blood samples were taken from the women throughout pregnancy, at 15, 20 and 33 weeks to determine their levels of iron. 

The researchers found that in Cork, iron deficiency was “very common during pregnancy, despite the mothers being generally healthy.” 

But despite these high rates of iron deficiency, none of the study participants were anaemic in the first trimester. 

Lead researcher, Dr Elaine McCarthy of UCC said that iron deficiency is the most common micronutrient deficiency in the world, “but it has often been thought of as mainly a problem in low-resource settings (places with little or inadequate healthcare services)”.

“Our research clearly illustrates that iron deficiency is extremely common amongst pregnant women, even in a generally healthy population, such as this cohort in Ireland.”  

Dr McCarthy emphasised the need for a shift in healthcare practices because routine screening for iron deficiency during pregnancy is not common practice. 

“Our findings highlight the importance of screening to identify the women at the greatest risk of iron deficiency early in their pregnancy,” she said. 

“In addition to this, we need to support and educate pregnant women around the importance of iron in their diets.”

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    Mute Plain Jane
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    Sep 26th 2024, 8:15 AM

    How helpful of this article to highlight something (evidently) commonplace, frame it as a problem and offer no real advice on how to support anaemia in pregnancy

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    Mute Jerry LeFrog
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    Sep 26th 2024, 8:31 AM

    @Plain Jane: true. Was looking for an explanation as to why this happens. But the article is way too thin and provides no answers whatsoever. Will have to read the research paper itself to find the info…

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    Mute Paul1st
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    Sep 26th 2024, 8:36 AM

    @Plain Jane: Go into The English Market and buy some liver

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    Mute Plain Jane
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    Sep 26th 2024, 8:54 AM

    @Paul1st: Organ meats sure are having a resurgence right now. Rather liver over a plethora of tablets for sure – a quick google says it’s a no go in the first trimester and limited amounts thereafter though

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    Mute Clodagh
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    Sep 26th 2024, 11:48 AM

    @Paul1st: Liver is very high in vitamin A so pregnant women are advised to avoid it or eat no more than half a serving once or twice a month so probably not enough to offset iron deficiency.

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    Mute thomas molloy
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    Sep 26th 2024, 8:49 AM

    Most supermarkets in Ireland stock iron supplements.

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    Mute Clare Power
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    Sep 26th 2024, 9:04 AM

    @thomas molloy: that practical advise is sooo helpful…imagine all the pregnant women walking around not aware of this nugget of information! Myself I had no idea I was iron deficit on my second pregnancy and ended up in hospital…this was 20 years ago!

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    Mute thomas molloy
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    Sep 26th 2024, 9:54 AM

    @Clare Power: Highlighting this hidden deficiency is good news.

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    Mute Clare Power
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    Sep 26th 2024, 9:59 AM

    @thomas molloy: to be fair if a women knows she’s deficient she’s hardly going to ignore it!

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    Mute patricia dunne
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    Sep 26th 2024, 1:43 PM

    Guinness was given as a drink for pregnant women. 1 glass if I remember rightly

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    Mute Elizabeth Doyle
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    Sep 26th 2024, 3:42 PM

    @patricia dunne: I have always had my glass of Guinness and I had low in Iron when I was12 , am still drinking it at 86!!!!

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    Mute thomas molloy
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    Sep 26th 2024, 2:00 PM

    Women should discuss this issue with their GP or post natal care rather than quietly worry about it as a result of the article.

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    Mute Tristan Ua Ceithearnaigh
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    Sep 26th 2024, 1:37 PM

    The insertion of folates and ferrates in cereals and bread don’t seem to be reaching those that need it most.

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