hi,
I am in my 26th week. So I had good hemoglobin in May last year - 13.6. This was during my physical. When I visited my gynaec for the first time in September she suggested me to take some additional calcium though my calcium levels were fine in my physical. Maybe she suggested because my prenatal only had 200 mg (15%) of calcium. So I have been taking calcium tablet since then along with my prenatal. My prenatal has 27 mg of iron and also I have been following good diet with lots of iron or at least enough iron. When they tested me for CBC in November, my haemoglobin had fell to 12.4 which was normal range and maybe that's why it didn't catch my eye. They did my CBC again recently and I found my hemoglobin to be 11.4 (normal range 11.5 -15.6). I was wondering why my hemoglobin has declined from 13.6 in May last year to 12.4 in November and now 11.4 even after taking 27 mg of iron in prenatal and following good diet. I read today that if you take calcium along with iron, it hinders with iron absorption. Has anyone read this and has been taking calcium along with iron? Did you see such decrease in your hemoglobin levels since then ?
Re: Anyone taking calcium with prenatal?
If you're concerned about the calcium hindering your iron absorption can you just take one at night and one in the morning?
ETA: My iron supplement is 45 mg of iron once daily.
In January I added calcium, but only take it as long as it is more than 3 hours after the prenatal. If I mess up my timing, the calcium gets skipped for the day. Antacids and dairy of any kind, high fiber foods, and caffeine can also hinder your absorption of iron. I also take a Vitamin C tablet which can help with absorption if your heartburn can handle it.
I was going to add additional calcium in, but I found that it made me constipated (something I barely had under control anyway). did others experience this?
Your body can only absorb so much calcium at a time which is why it needs to be spread out. Not sure about the iron though.
Me: 42, DH: 46, Married: 11/12
Losses: MMC#1 11/12 BO, MC#2 11/13 at 8w BO?, MMC#3 8/14 chromo healthy M @12 weeks, stopped growing at 10.
Negligible AMH, FSH finally went high. Pursued DE.
DD born at 38w2d on 5-27-16. Finally!!
Pregnant again with OE. EDD 11/9/17 Girl!
And yes yes your body can only absorb about 500mg calcium at once so if you're taking 2 tabs per day for example it's recommended to take one in the morning and one in the evening. Iron doesn't have the same issue.