Low iron= shortness of breath?

sunshine1234

I do have low iron...normal is 11.4. Mine was 11.1 I have been trying to eat more iron rich food....could that be why i am short of breath?

tokenhoser

Yes, when my iron was low, I was very easily winded. Like, going up a flight of stairs (when I wasn't pregnant).

Are you supplementing? It's hard to get enough from food alone to raise blood levels.

biblionerd

I'm not sure how low is too low, but I posted below in another post that I was very short of breath before I started supplementing. My Dr. assumed it was just normal being pg stuff, but it got SO much better. I was short of breath and kept feeling like I was dizzy and going to pass out to the point of seeing the black on the sides of your vision closing in! All better now.

amanda1680

Hmm.  According to my doctor's office, 11-15 is normal for pregnancy.  My iron was 9.6 and they said that was just a "little low," and to increase my intake of iron foods (not to start supplementing).  I haven't been short of breath or heard of low iron causing that, but I could be wrong. 

el25

I had low iron and had shortness of breath.  I started taking supplements, which fixed my low iron, but I still have shortness of breath.  I think the shortness of breath is just a pregnancy thing.  I get winded walking 10 steps.

ElatedMom2B

I have low iron and am taking supps.  I didn't have low iron in my previous pregnancy but with both have had major shortness of breath.  I think its just the pregnancy thing.  Your lungs are completely out of room - like your stomach is where they should be - and its messed up because your body produces more blood and heart has to pump harder to circulate that blood.  Kinda makes sense.  It is amazing how as soon as that baby comes out, you breathe so much easier!!

mskinner30

I had low iron too I think mine was about what yours was and my dr put me on a supplement called Ferralet. I was having terrible shortness of breath and I was extremely exhausted. Since I had started a couple weeks ago I have noted a tremendous difference in those symptoms! I had low iron with my first baby too.

Iron is carried on the hemoglobin in your blood. The hemoglobin is what carries the oxygen throughout your body. So when the hemoglobin (iron) is low there is less oxygen being carried thru the body hence shortness of breath:) I am a nurse and this was my biology lesson lol.

kerrbear72

Shortness of breath IS a symptom of Anemia.

ElatedMom2B

mskinner30:

I had low iron too I think mine was about what yours was and my dr put me on a supplement called Ferralet. I was having terrible shortness of breath and I was extremely exhausted. Since I had started a couple weeks ago I have noted a tremendous difference in those symptoms! I had low iron with my first baby too.

Iron is carried on the hemoglobin in your blood. The hemoglobin is what carries the oxygen throughout your body. So when the hemoglobin (iron) is low there is less oxygen being carried thru the body hence shortness of breath:) I am a nurse and this was my biology lesson lol.

Touche - maybe I am still not getting enough iron because I've been on it for over a month now and have not noticed any difference in my shortness of breath or my exhaustion.  My OB also didn't give me any # as to how low [my iron] it was - just wrote on a script what he wanted me to be taking.