by BabyCenter Featured Expert posted in Pregnancy

By Tieraona Low Dog, MD
Feeling tired" Can't stay warm" Hard time concentrating" Getting winded quickly when exercising" Don't assume you?re feeling this way just because you're pregnant -- it could be that your iron levels are getting low.
Women need 18 mg per day of iron to maintain an adequate supply, but millions of us fall short. And this daily requirement goes to 27 mg per day during pregnancy, making low iron an even bigger problem for pregnant women:  29.6 percent of African-American women, 23.6 percent of Mexican-American women, and just under 14 percent of non-Hispanic white women have depleted iron stores.
While even marginally low iron levels can leave you feeling both physically and mentally fatigued*, a more severe deficiency can increase the risk of your baby being born premature and/or with a low birth weight. Your midwife or physician will check your iron levels during pregnancy and at six weeks postpartum if you had excessive blood loss or a multiple birth. Load up on lentils, beans, dark green veggies, nuts, lean meats, eggs, and dairy, based upon your personal dietary preferences. Vitamin C-rich foods help you absorb iron found in non-animal sources, so be sure to snack on strawberries, kiwis, or red and green peppers in hummus.
If diet is not enough to maintain healthy iron levels, your provider will recommend an iron supplement. The problem is that for many women, high potency iron...