[Diagnostics and treatment of iron deficiency in pregnancy]

Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia are frequent complications to pregnancy and especially iron deficiency is underdiagnosed because of scarce symptoms. Due to the increased need for iron and the variation in iron storage in healthy pregnant women, iron supplementation should be individualised based on the level of haemoglobin and ferritin. First choice of treatment is oral iron supplementation, unless there is a failure of treatment, a known condition with malabsorption, or severe iron deficiency anaemia very close to due date. In these cases, intravenous iron may be considered.