Thread by @FionaMattatall

I have been noticing more issues with low iron amongst my obstetrics and gynaecology patients lately so thought we should do a thread on iron...

Why is iron important?
Why can iron be low?
How can you get more iron?

#iron #anemia #pregnancy #periods #ObGynTwitter #MedTwitter

Iron (Fe) is a super important mineral for us.

Iron the centre of the heme group, which sits in the centre of each subunit of the hemoglobin protein structure.

Hemoglobin proteins pack the inside of our red blood cells.

Iron at the core of each hemoglobin molecule binds oxygen.

There are ~260 million hemoglobin molecules in each red blood cell and we each have ~25 trillion red blood cells in circulation!

This is our transport system for oxygen to get from our lungs to our cells and organs.

We measure iron indirectly in different ways in lab tests.

Most commonly used here are:
🩸 hematocrit - what percentage of you blood volume is red blood cells
🩸 hemoglobin - how much of the protein is in your blood
🩸ferritin - a protein that helps store iron in your body

I see two common scenarios where patients have low iron (measured as low hematocrit, hemoglobin, and/or low ferritin - often called anemia):
1⃣ pregnancy - the developing fetus requires iron and will take what it needs
2⃣ heavy periods - with all the blood loss, so goes the iron

So how do we get more iron into our bodies when they need it?

I spend a lot of time talking about iron rich foods with patients and there are many foods rich in iron.

This is a great resource from @DietitiansCAN and @UnlockFoodCA
unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/Vi…

Sometime food is not enough to replace iron if someone is pregnant or has heavy periods or another health condition... this is where supplements come in.

There are many different supplements (pills, powders, syrups) out there and it can be confusing...

@ontariomidwives put together a handy chart comparing different iron supplements!

I like how they compared doses, considerations for individual diets, and cost...
... monthly prices range from $4 to $700 😮

(there is an error however in that Blood Builder is not a heme iron)

A good article from @Sunnybrook about the specifics of iron deficiency in pregnancy: sunnybrook.ca/content/?page=…
#pregnancy #anemia #iron

And lastly, a good overview of heavy periods from @SOGCorg

❓what are heavy periods
❓what causes heavy periods
❓what can be done about heavy periods

yourperiod.ca/abnormal-pain-…
#periods #menorrhagia #anemia

Thanks for coming to my Tweetorial today!

Always happy to talk about all things uterus, including when they don't behave themselves...

#TheMoreYouKnow #obgyntwitter