From the first week of getting pregnant to the last day when your baby is about to be born, why is there a constant check on this component of blood? Why is there a need to get your haemoglobin in range? 

Iron in pregnancy is a very important mineral. Blood in baby and mother is shared hence having an optimum amount of haemoglobin will ensure a healthier pregnancy for the mother and there would be no complication or growth retardation for babies.

Even before pregnancy, iron helps in the healthy fertilization process which promotes easy conception and growth of a healthy foetus.

Why is there a need for iron?
Iron is an essential element for blood production. About 70 per cent of our body's iron is found in the red blood cells of our blood called haemoglobin and in muscle cells called myoglobin. Haemoglobin is essential for transferring oxygen in your blood from the lungs to the tissues. Hence, iron deficiency or lack of iron simply means our body’s blood circulation is getting affected and this hampers growth.

When is haemoglobin not in an adequate range?
According to statistics, women and infants are the most vulnerable group to suffer from low haemoglobin. Hence, taking up iron in an appropriate measure is very important for a healthy pregnancy. Pre-term babies, low birth weight, growth retardation are some of the common complications a pregnant woman goes through when suffering from anaemia. Excessive tiredness, weakness and uncontrollable vomiting during pregnancy can also be caused due to low haemoglobin.

Why choose nature over synthetic supplementation of Iron?
When any synthetic supplement like iron-folic acid is introduced into the body our body will not be able to absorb the complete source but in the case of a nature-based diet, a complete nutrient is absorbed inside the body making it healthy and rich in nutrients. Hence choosing a nature-based diet is important to have a healthy and mindful pregnancy. 

Let's read about the sources?
Having a plant-based diet will help you in adding quality to the most important and beautiful phase of your life which is getting pregnant.

Green leafy vegetable Source
Spinach leaves
Fenugreek leaves
Amaranth
Coriander
Cabbage

Other Vegetable Sources
Tomato
Bottle gourd
Carrot
Beetroot
Cauliflower

Fruit Source
Mulberries
Pomegranates
Banana
Black currants
Apples
Dry fruits such as raisins & dates

Nuts and Seeds
Almonds
Cashews
Coconut
Sesame seeds
Hemp seeds
Flax seeds

Pulses and Legumes
Whole lentils like green and red.
Chickpeas
Soybeans
Beans
Peas

Cereals and Millets
Brown rice
Bajra
Red Rice Flakes
Ragi
Amaranth Flour
Buckwheat Flour
Jowar

Vitamin C and Iron relationship
Vitamin C is the most important element in binding iron during blood circulation. When Vitamin C is added in any iron-based food source, the absorption of iron becomes complete and easier. For eg - 

If you are having pulses and legumes, you can sprout them. This will help in increasing their nutritive content and adding lemon to them, let’s say in a sprouts salad, will increase the iron absorption in the body. 

Apart from Vitamin C, one more element which helps in iron absorption is oxygen. A raw or lightly cooked plant-based diet is a perfect option for providing oxygen to your body.  

Hope you have a healthy conception and pregnancy.

(About Dr. Khushbu Suthar: I am a Homeopathic Practitioner with a specialization in Diet Planning and Nutrition from Mumbai. I hold a degree in Clinical Hypnotherapy, and by amalgamating these three, my aim in life is to research Mind, Body, and Soul. Flamboyant colors of vegetables and Vivid Psychology of the Human mind is what enchants me. An avid explorer of healing, now practicing in Bikaner, is learning to get the best of both beaches and dunes)

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