Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Iron absorption during normal human pregnancy: a study using stable isotopes.

P G Whittaker1, T Lind, J G Williams

  • 1University Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Princess Mary Maternity Hospital, Newcastle, Tyne and Wear.

The British Journal of Nutrition
|May 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Suicide rates in the UK Armed Forces, compared with the general workforce and merchant shipping during peacetime years since 1900.

BMJ military health·2023
Same author

Role of Kidney Stones in Renal Pelvis Flow.

Journal of biomechanical engineering·2022
Same author

Rectal foreign body removal: increasing incidence and cost to the NHS.

Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England·2021
Same author

Forgotten fatalities: British military, mining and maritime accidents since 1900.

Occupational medicine (Oxford, England)·2021
Same author

A temperature model for laser lithotripsy.

World journal of urology·2020
Same author

A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Paediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Incidence and Prevalence Across Europe.

Journal of Crohn's & colitis·2020
Same journal

Rural Diets Under Pressure: Food Environments and their Influence on Diets in South Asia.

The British journal of nutrition·2026
Same journal

Methodological challenges in translating nutrition evidence into the Australian Dietary Guidelines.

The British journal of nutrition·2026
Same journal

Beyond current fibre recommendations: associations of high dietary fibre intake with inflammation and lipid profile in US adults (NHANES 2015-2018).

The British journal of nutrition·2026
Same journal

Changes in food patterns over a 10-year period in the UK adult population; findings from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey.

The British journal of nutrition·2026
Same journal

Gut Microbiome and Environmental Enteric Dysfunction Are Unchanged by 18 Months of Small-Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplementation among Young Children in Lusaka, Zambia.

The British journal of nutrition·2026
Same journal

The Effect of Asparagus Stem Consumption on Health Outcomes in Adults: A Systematic Review.

The British journal of nutrition·2026
See all related articles

Iron absorption significantly increases during pregnancy, potentially meeting demands without supplementation if dietary iron is bioavailable. This study tracked iron levels in nine healthy women throughout gestation and post-delivery.

Area of Science:

  • Human Physiology
  • Nutritional Science
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Iron deficiency is common during pregnancy.
  • Accurate measurement of iron absorption is crucial for understanding nutritional needs.
  • Pregnancy significantly alters maternal metabolism and nutrient requirements.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify oral iron absorption in healthy pregnant women.
  • To assess changes in iron absorption throughout gestation and postpartum.
  • To determine if increased absorption meets pregnancy iron demands.

Main Methods:

  • Oral administration of 5 mg aqueous 54FeSO4 with ascorbic acid.
  • Intravenous injection of 200 micrograms 57FeSO4.
  • Measurement of isotope ratios (54Fe:56Fe, 57Fe:56Fe) in serum using inductively-coupled-plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Mean oral iron absorption increased significantly from 7.6% at 12 weeks gestation to 37.4% at 36 weeks.
  • Absorption remained elevated postpartum (26.3% at 12 weeks).
  • Biochemical and hematological indices remained within normal pregnancy limits.

Conclusions:

  • Normal pregnancy is associated with a marked increase in oral iron absorption.
  • This enhanced absorption suggests that dietary iron may be sufficient to meet pregnancy needs.
  • Further research is needed to confirm iron bioavailability from various dietary sources.