December 2022 Moms

Geographic tongue

Does anyone else have a patchy painful tongue? Large and small pink spots with an almost white edge. It feels like I burnt my tongue but I haven’t. I’ve read online some pregnant women get this due to certain vitamin deficiencies. My doctor hasn’t seen it before and hasn’t really advised on what to do. Said my labs are fine.

Has anyone found any type of remedy or a vitamin that helps? I’m taking extra iron and zinc (with doctors permission) to no avail.

Re: Geographic tongue

  • I have a geographic tongue most days (genetics) but it got really bad when my iron levels dropped in the 2nd trimester.   I was convinced I had some sort of thrush until I read that anemia could cause it.  My Hemoglobin levels were around 9.7 when the tongue thing showed up.  I was taking an iron supplement but levels kept dropping due to dilution (body was making more blood and outpacing the supplement).  Have you had your levels checked recently?
  • Thanks for the response! Yes, I’m anemic and was taking supplements before pregnancy. It’s low again and so now I am taking more supplemental iron but it’s still persisting. At least I’m on the right path. The doctor just seemed kind of dismissive about it so I wasn’t sure if taking iron was enough
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  • Yes I think you’re on the right track with the iron supplements….it just sucks that it seems to take the body so long to absorb more iron!  It took me weeks of supplements to get back up to my starting levels!  Still borderline low but my tongue isn’t white and patchy anymore.  Good luck!!
  • omg cannot believe anyone else has this lol i’m 33 + 2 with twins. i’ve had geographic tongue since 15 weeks. feels like i’ve burnt my tongue over and over and over. i’m low on iron and need a transfusion soon. my primary and OB seemed stumped on treatment besides letting it ride out. so interesting!! 
  • Yep I am also 33 with low iron and still have it. It was getting better but now is worse again. I’m just learning to live with it and hope it’s gone in January. 3 weeks and 3 days to go!
  • Everyone is different - so thought to share an anemia story. :)
    A close friend was pretty anemic during her last pregnancy and tried everything, but iron levels remained low. UNTIL - she said the only thing that worked for her was having liver. Prob chicken or cow liver; a little bit every other day. Her iron levels stayed up when she did so. 

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