My first pregnancy and have a question about the iron level blood test?

Question

I am 31 weeks pregnant now, and at my last visit with the OB where I was at 29 weeks, they made me drink that sweet concentrate and tested me for diabetes and iron. Well the prenatal vitamins I have been taking are the Flinestones complete which my OB told me to take 1 tablet every day. The day before the test I was told to avoid high sugary foods as well as on the morning before that test. I had no idea I was going to get blood work done for both my glucose and hemoglobin levels. Well it turns out that since the flinestones tablets are very sweet I did not take it on the day before my diabetes test and I ended up taking it the night after I was tested. When I was tested for iron...the levels were showing 108. I believe the normal amounts should be 102 as the lab technician told me. Could it have been 108 because I had not eaten my prenatals that morning or the day before? My dr. told me the levels are borderline and okay now, but I can use a supplement or something cause iron

can go down even more during my last 2 months. Well since I have a problem swallowing big prenatals and capsules I will avoid taking iron pills. Is there any powder or substitute/chewable iron tablet that I can take or maybe just increase my foods? I am also used to eating meats and whole grain cereals so that my iron levels are maintained but that day of sugar I had to avoid the cereal cause of my blood work.

Answer 1

FYI flinstone vitamins are NOT prenatals....they are childrens vitamins....

Did you ever try cutting them in half and swallowing them that way? They really are the best for you and baby.
As for the iron, ask your doctor they would know best

Answer 2

one day or two isnt going to effect the level of iron present in the blood at all.

You may need to take two flinstones a day, you can take up to four of them. I know because tahts all I can take too.

Your simply just a little low on iron, this happens to pregnant women who are on prenatals all the time. The baby really uses up a lot.

Just ask your doctor how to best remedy it.

I found that just eating more fortified cereals and red meat worked fine for me.

Answer 3

Not having your vitamin shouldn't have altered your tests. If you have a low iron level, try eating more iron rich foods..that will help you raise your iron levels. Here is a list:

DRIED BEANS AND PEAS
Lentils, cooked, drained 250 ml, 3.3 mg
Lima beans, cooked, drained 250 ml, 4.6 mg
Red kidney beans, cooked, drained 250 ml, 4.3 mg
Soya beans 250 ml, 4.3 mg
Split peas 250 ml, 4.5 mg

VEGETABLES
Asparagus, canned, drained 250 ml, 2.5 mg
Green peas 250 ml, 3.0 mg
Peppers, hot, red, dried, powder 15 ml, 2.3 mg
Spinach, canned, drained 250 ml, 5.0 mg
Spinach cooked 250 ml, 4.2 mg
Tomato juice 250 ml, 2.3 mg

FRUITS
Apricots, dried, uncooked 15 ml, 0.9 mg
Peaches, dried, uncooked 250 ml, 10.1 mg
Dates, pitted, cut 250 ml, 5.3 mg
Prune juice 250 ml, 11.0 mg

BREAKFAST CEREALS
All Bran 200 ml, 4.3 mg
Bran Flakes (raisins) 200 ml, 5.0 mg
Corn, puffed (presweetened) 200 ml, 4.2 mg
Farina (cream of wheat) 125 ml, 7.9 mg
Oats, puffed, with or without corn
(e.g. Cheerios) 250 ml, 9.2 mg
Oats, puffed (e.g. Alphabets) 250 ml, 6.2 mg
Rice Krispies 250 ml, 2.3 mg
Wheat flakes (e.g. Pep, Grapenuts) 200 ml, 6.4 mg
Wheat, puffed (e.g. Sugar Crisp) 250 ml, 6.3 mg
Whole wheat (e.g. Shreddies) 250 ml, 6.3 mg

NUTS
Almonds, shelled whole 125 ml, 4.0 mg
Brazil nuts 125 ml, 2.3 mg
Cashews, roasted 125 ml, 2.8 mg

PORK
Ham, lean and fat, roasted, 6 mm thick 2 slices, 2.7 mg
Pork chop, thick, with bone, lean and fat 1 chop, 1.9 mg

BEEF
Corned beef hash with potato 8 oz., 4.6 mg
Corned beef, medium fat 2 slices, 1.9 mg
Ground beef, broiled, medium fat 250 ml, 2.9 mg
Steak, broiled, lean only 1 piece, 3.4 mg

POULTRY
Chicken, white meat 76 g, 1.3 mg
Chicken, dark meat 90 g, 1.5 mg
Turkey 90 g, 1.6 mg

LIVER AND KIDNEY
Beef kidney (8 cm x 6 cm x 8 cm) 3 slices, 11.8 mg
Beef liver, fried 3 oz., 8.0 mg
Calf liver, fried 3 slices, 13.0 mg
Chicken liver, fried 3 medium, 7.7 mg
Pork kidney 3 slices, 7.2 mg
Pork liver 3 slices, 7.2 mg

FISH AND SHELLFISH
Clams, canned, drained 1 can, 5.5 mg
Lake trout, broiled or baked 90 g, 4.5 mg
Sardines, canned in oil 7 medium, 2.5 mg
Scallops 6 pieces, 3.0 mg
Tuna, canned, drained 90 g, 1.7 mg

COMBINED DISHES
Beans, white, dry, canned, with tomato sauce 250 ml, 4.9 mg
Beans, white, dry, canned, with wieners 250 ml, 5.0 mg
Beef pot pie, baked (10 cm) 1 pie, 4.1 mg
Cabbage rolls with meat 2 rolls, 2.1 mg
Chili con carne, with canned beans 250 ml, 4.5 mg
Chili con carne, without beans 250 ml, 3.8 mg
Poultry pot pie (10 cm) 1 pie, 3.0 mg
Spaghetti with meat balls and tomato sauce 250 ml, 3.9 mg

SEEDS
Pumpkin/squash seeds 125 ml, 6.5 mg
Sunflower seeds 125 ml, 4.1 mg

ODDS AND ENDS
All purpose flour 250 ml, 3.2 mg
Brewer’s dry yeast 15 ml, 1.4 mg
Brown’s sugar, packed 250 ml, 7.9 mg
Egg 1 egg, 1.1 mg
Egg noodles 250 ml, 2.7 mg
Instant breakfast with milk 1 pack, 5.0 mg
Molasses, cane, light 15 ml, 0.9 mg
Molasses, cane, blackstrap 250 ml, 3.2 mg
Pasta, enriched 250 ml, 2.4 mg
Split pea soup 250 ml, 1.5 mg
Whole wheat flour 250 ml, 3.8 mg

Answer 4

eat more iron