Iron Supplementation Not Required for These Values
With a hemoglobin of 11.8 g/dL and ferritin of 70 ng/mL during pregnancy, iron supplementation beyond standard prenatal vitamins is not necessary, as both values are well above the thresholds that define iron deficiency or iron deficiency anemia. 1, 2
Understanding the Laboratory Values
Your current iron status is adequate for pregnancy:
Hemoglobin of 11.8 g/dL is normal for pregnancy. The physiologic hemodilution that occurs during pregnancy naturally lowers hemoglobin, and this value does not indicate anemia. 1
Ferritin of 70 ng/mL indicates robust iron stores. A ferritin ≤15 μg/L is the threshold that confirms iron deficiency in pregnant women with anemia. 1, 2 Your ferritin of 70 ng/mL is nearly 5 times higher than this cutoff, demonstrating adequate iron reserves. 1
These values together rule out both iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia. When hemoglobin is normal and ferritin is >15 μg/L, iron deficiency is not present. 1, 2
Standard Prenatal Vitamin is Sufficient
Continue your current prenatal vitamin, which typically contains 27 mg of elemental iron—the Recommended Dietary Allowance for pregnancy. 1 Additional iron supplementation beyond this is not indicated and provides no demonstrated benefit to maternal or infant health outcomes when iron stores are already adequate. 1
Monitoring Approach
Recheck hemoglobin at routine prenatal intervals (typically each trimester), as iron requirements increase throughout pregnancy, with the third trimester having the highest prevalence of iron deficiency (up to 29.5%). 1, 2 If hemoglobin drops below 11 g/dL or clinical anemia develops, then ferritin testing should be repeated to confirm whether iron deficiency is the cause. 2
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Do not rely solely on hemoglobin to assess iron status. Hemoglobin can appear normal despite depleted iron stores due to pregnancy-related hemodilution, but in your case, the ferritin confirms adequate stores. 3, 2
Avoid unnecessary iron supplementation. Taking additional iron when stores are adequate can cause gastrointestinal side effects (nausea, constipation, diarrhea) without providing benefit. 4
If you have a vegetarian diet, ensure adequate iron intake from fortified foods, as non-heme iron from plant sources is less well absorbed and may require nearly twice the intake. 3