What are we looking at in PANDA?
In PANDA, we want to answer the question: Does taking iron tablets during pregnancy help to prevent anaemia?
You might find it helpful to learn more about the role of iron during pregnancy and some of the things we currently know about taking iron supplements during pregnancy.
On this page:
Pregnant women need approximately ten times more iron to keep healthy during their pregnancy.
Iron is important in pregnancy because it helps create red blood cells which carry food and oxygen to the baby as well as the pregnant woman.
Not having enough iron causes anaemia. This can lead to pregnant women being more tired and breathless, and can sometimes cause complications for the baby and woman during pregnancy.
What happens if you don't have enough iron during pregnancy?
Listen to Research Midwife, Ellmina, explain the importance of getting enough iron in pregnancy and what can happen if you become anaemic during pregnancy.
Iron tablets and pregnancy
Iron tablets have been given to pregnant women for decades and we know they are safe for women to take.
Taking iron tablets is the easiest way to safely boost iron levels and prevent anaemia.
Whilst iron tablets are completely safe for pregnant women and their babies, they can sometimes cause minor side effects for a woman, such as constipation, nausea or heartburn. These side effects are usually mild and not dangerous to the pregnant woman or the baby, and some side effects stop over time. These can also be symptoms that many women experience as part of a healthy pregnancy.
In the PANDA study, we want to see whether taking iron supplements from the second trimester of pregnancy helps to prevent anaemia from developing.
What we do and don't know about supplements during pregnancy
Hear Professor Churchill, Consultant Obstetrician, tell us more about what we do and don't know about iron supplements during pregnancy and what we are hoping to find out.
Getting enough iron in pregnancy
While we can get iron from food, women need much more iron during pregnancy than when they are not pregnant - approximately ten times more - to help the baby grow and to stay healthy.
Although most women get the iron they need from the food they eat when they aren't pregnant, it can be difficult to get the extra iron needed in pregnancy from food alone.
In order to get the right amount of iron from food alone, you would need to eat one of the following every day:
3 large bags of spinach
8 boiled eggs
Iron tablets are the best way for women to safely get the extra iron they need. Although pregnancy multi-vitamins contain iron, this is at much lower doses than prescribed iron tablets.
The facts about iron during pregnancy
This video will tell you about the facts we know about using iron during pregnancy, including what we understand about side effects of iron.
