Image Managing Iron SupplementationDid you know that pregnant women have higher iron needs compared to other non-pregnant women? Iron is needed for the development of additional red blood cells that deliver nutrients and oxygen to the developing fetus. Although iron needs can be met by eating iron-rich food such as fish, meat and poultry, pregnant women need more iron which can only be met by intakes of iron supplements. This is why the country’s community health centers are providing FREE iron supplements for identified pregnant women who regularly comes to the health center for FREE prenatal check-ups.

Meanwhile, for other child-bearing age or adolescents who are not pregnant, considering that most adolescents are in school and do not usually go to the health center to access health services, the Department of Health (DOH) partnered with the Department of Education (DepEd) to implement a school-based Weekly Iron Folic Acid (WIFA) Supplementation for grades 7-10 female school children. This is to ensure that these young women are provided with the necessary nutrients needed for their optimum health, growth and development.

While we acknowledge that Iron supplements can have undesirable side effects such as metallic taste sensation, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation and blackening of the stools, there are some ways of managing these side effects. Below is a quick infographic guide and tips for managing iron supplements, especially for pregnant women:

Guide for managing Side Effects of Iron Supplements NNCROXI

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References:

Cancelo-Hidalgo, M. J., Castelo-Branco, C., Palacios, S., Haya-Palazuelos, J., Ciria-Recasens, M., Manasanch, J., & Pérez-Edo, L. (2013). Tolerability of different oral iron supplements: a systematic review. Current medical research and opinion, 29(4), 291-303.

Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Department of Science and Technology (2018). Philippine Dietary Reference Intakes 2015.

MIMS (n.d.). Ferrous Sulfate. MIMS. Retrieved from https://www.mims.com/philippines/drug/info/ferrous%20sulfate?mtype=generic

National Institutes of Health (2021). Iron: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Retrieved https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/

Velayo, C.L. (2020). Nutrition in Pregnancy: How to Achieve Healthy Pregnancy in the Time of COVID. UP MED Webinars. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=258128448944827&ref=watch_permalink

WebMD (n.d.). Iron: Side Effects. WebMD. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-912/iron

Image References:

Iron Tablets: https://www.facebook.com/NNCXI/photos/a.298838893523951/5765246953549757

Film coated iron: https://images.app.goo.gl/nBRGgPceioUGmySC6

Slow release iron: https://images.app.goo.gl/Ax1tmndcp5mHgx9JA

Iron drops: https://images.app.goo.gl/FKgJymBoiSsTN5HP7