Why every woman of reproductive age needs iron supplementation

Moringa leaves

Iron is an important mineral that the body needs to produce red blood cells, which carry oxygen. A woman of reproductive age could suffer from iron deficiency as a result of menstruation.

It is important for every woman to supplement the level of iron in her body  during her reproductive years via iron rich diets and supplements to stay healthy.

Iron is naturally present in many foods, added to some food products and available as a dietary supplement.

When you don’t have enough iron in the body you develop low level of red blood cells, a condition called anaemia.

According to Dr Yinka  Adekugbe, a health expert, women need iron supplementation because it helps prevent anaemia and anaemia is one of the causes of maternal haemorrhage.

“Iron is available in the body but you need to support what you have because as you lose blood you are losing iron. If you are not eating the right type of food as you are menstruating, you lose iron,” she said.

She said women can supplement the iron in their body by eating foods or diet rich in iron or by taking iron supplements or tablets. 

Adekugbe said iron folate supplements are also one of the routine drugs that pregnant women are given when they go for antenatal care because it is important, adding that  reproductive women need to be aware of iron rich diets.

She said pumpkin known locally as ugwu, yam and Moringa known as zogale in Hausa language  are one of the foods rich in iron and available locally.

She said her friend combined malt and Ugwu  and her PCV increased to normal..

Also, a state officer with Save the Children International, Nigeria  Country Office, Dr Yusuf Gunu,  said from the day a woman begins menstruating, she becomes iron challenged.

He said: “A woman doesn’t need to be married and give birth before she starts taking iron supplement. When a woman’s body is rich in iron, it helps reduce the challenge of maternal and infant deaths the country is facing.

Dr. Uche  Onwufor,  a consultant obstetrician/gynaecologist and executive director, Gynae Care Research and Cancer Foundation, Abuja said women of reproductive age in Nigeria and Africa, need iron and folic acid supplementation for several reasons: they lose blood from their regular monthly menses; they also lose blood from hemolysis caused by malaria parasite infestation and they lose blood from hook worm infestation.

Majority of our populace cannot afford balanced diet because of poverty and ignorance and so may not be able to afford meals rich in iron and folate and ladies need supplements to help achieve their full growth potential.

He advised women to take folic acid supplementation three months before they get pregnant saying it helps the growing baby (fetus) and provides it the substrate to grow well and develop several body parts.

“Pregnant women need iron and folic acid supplementation because the needs of the growing baby cannot be met by a woman’s diet alone. If a woman does not take the drugs, she may become anaemic and she may be prone to infection, miscarriage, delivery of small unhealthy baby and post-partum hemorrhage, which could lead to death,” said Onwufor.

He added that women who take supplements before and during pregnancy were healthier and give birth to healthier babies.

According  to the World Health Organisation,  anaemia is an important public health problem worldwide, particularly among women of reproductive age.

“A substantial portion of this anaemia burden is assumed to be due to iron deficiency. The consequences of anaemia resulting from iron deficiency during the postpartum period (six weeks after child birth) can be serious and have long-term health implications for the mother and her child,” the organisation said.

The WHO also recommends intermittent iron and folic acid supplementation as a public health intervention in menstruating women, in populations where the prevalence of anaemia among non-pregnant women of reproductive age is 20% or higher to improve their haemoglobin concentrations and iron status and reduce the risk of anaemia.

The WHO suggested a scheme for intermittent iron and folic acid supplementation in all menstruating adolescent girls and adult women in populations where the prevalence of anaemia among non-pregnant women of reproductive age is 20% or higher include: 

Supplement composition: Iron: 60mg of elemental iron

Folic acid: 2800µg (2.8mg).

Frequency: One supplement per week

Duration and time interval between periods of supplementation: 3 months of supplementation followed by 3 months of no supplementation after which the provision of supplements should restart

Other foods rich in iron include pumpkin, soya beans, potatoes, spinach, kidney, beans, watermelon, liver, beef, egg yolk, green peas and sea food, among others.