Daily iron needs by term?

Daily iron needs by term?

• A. 7.5 mg/day
• B. 0.8 g/day
• C. 15 mg/day
• D. 20 mg/day

Answer: (A)

Iron needs rise during pregnancy because the mother’s blood volume expands and the fetus requires iron for growth and development. By term, the daily amount of elemental iron the mother needs is about 7.5 mg. This figure reflects the net amount required each day after factoring in iron already stored in the body and the iron that will be absorbed from the diet; since absorption is not 100%, prenatal vitamins are often formulated to supply more iron overall to ensure that this ~7.5 mg is effectively available for use. This is why 7.5 mg/day is considered the daily need by term. The other numbers represent either much larger total intakes or different targets (such as total supplementation amounts) and don’t match the typical daily need reference for term pregnancy.

Iron needs rise during pregnancy because the mother’s blood volume expands and the fetus requires iron for growth and development. By term, the daily amount of elemental iron the mother needs is about 7.5 mg. This figure reflects the net amount required each day after factoring in iron already stored in the body and the iron that will be absorbed from the diet; since absorption is not 100%, prenatal vitamins are often formulated to supply more iron overall to ensure that this ~7.5 mg is effectively available for use. This is why 7.5 mg/day is considered the daily need by term. The other numbers represent either much larger total intakes or different targets (such as total supplementation amounts) and don’t match the typical daily need reference for term pregnancy.