Oral Iron in Pregnant Women: How Often to Take It and Its Side Effects and Tolerability

The goal of this prospective observational study is to examine the frequency of gastrointestinal side effects associated with oral iron supplementation during pregnancy. The main question it aims to answer is: Does intermittent oral iron supplementation result in fewer gastrointestinal side effects compared with daily supplementation in pregnant women? Pregnant women who are prescribed oral iron as part of their routine medical care will take ferrous sulfate on an alternate-day schedule for one week. If no significant gastrointestinal side effects are reported, they will then take ferrous sulfate daily for an additional week and will be followed for one month. Participants will be contacted by the study investigator to report gastrointestinal side effects, and routine blood tests will be used to assess changes in hemoglobin and iron stores.