http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6705209.stm
Last Updated: Wednesday, 30 May 2007, 23:31 GMT 00:31 UK
Women warned on iron 'overdose'
Many woman take multivitamins in pregnancy
Healthy pregnant women should think twice before taking iron
supplements, say researchers who have linked high doses to blood
pressure problems.
Iron is often given to combat anaemia in pregnancy, but many women
take extra iron, on its own or in a multivitamin.
The Iranian university study, published in the British Journal of
Obstetrics and Gynaecology, gave some women a 30mg daily dose as part
of its research.
UK experts say that this amount should only be taken on GP advice.
The UK Food Standards Agency says that lower doses in UK multivitamins
are unlikely to harm women.
Anaemia is often associated with low birth weight and preterm
births, but this does not mean that women should be popping iron
pills, or any vitamin pills indiscriminately
Professor Philip Steer, editor, British Journal of Obstetrics and
Gynaecology
Anaemia is a common condition in pregnant women, which, if left
unchecked, can contribute to premature births and low birthweight
babies.
It is caused by a lack of red blood cells, and taking iron on
prescription helps the body produce more.
The researchers from Tarbiat Modarres University wanted to check the
effect of iron supplements on women whose red blood cell level was
normal.
They gave 370 women a 150mg dose of ferrous sulphate, which equates to
approximately 30mg of actual iron, every day throughout their
pregnancy.
A similar number of women were given a "placebo" dummy pill containing
no iron.
Routine pills
The number of women with diagnosed high blood pressure - a disorder
which can also cause problems for mother and baby - was higher in the
women given the iron pills than in the other group.
Many countries still offer iron pills as a routine measure for all
pregnant women, and lead researcher Professor Saedeh Ziaei said: "Our
trial suggests that administering it even may have some disadvantages
in non-anaemic women."
Professor Philip Steer, the editor of the BJOG: An International
Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, said: "Anaemia is often
associated with low birth weight and preterm births, but this does not
mean that women should be popping iron pills, or any vitamin pills
indiscriminately, to prevent poor pregnancy outcomes."
We consider that the supplements available in this country are safe,
and it is up to the individual woman to choose
Spokesman, Tommy's
A spokesman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
said that women should avoid taking extra iron unless recommended by
their doctor or midwife.
Routine iron supplementation is not practised in the UK, but blood is
tested for signs of anaemia more than once during pregnancy as a
matter of course.
However, many healthy pregnant women take once-a-day multivitamin
pills that contain smaller doses of iron - normally around 100% of the
recommended dose of 15mg.
Official bodies such as the Food Standards Agency recommend that
pregnant women take extra vitamins such as folic acid and vitamin D,
but don't encourage any other vitamin supplementation, saying that a
balanced healthy diet provides all the vitamins needed. However, they
said that taking 17mg or less a day - the amount UK multivitamin
brands contain - was 'unlikely to be harmful'.
A spokesman for the baby charity Tommy's also stressed the importance
of a healthy diet, but added that women were free to take supplements
if they chose.
"We consider that the supplements available in this country are safe,
and it is up to the individual woman to choose."
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Tom
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