Home / Guides / Nutrition

Iron-Deficiency Anemia in Pregnancy: Foods That Can Help Raise Hemoglobin

NNova editorial team · 6 min read

Iron is found in meat, poultry, fish, beans, lentils, and fortified foods. Vitamin C can boost absorption, while tea, coffee, and calcium taken at the same meal may reduce it.

Which Iron Is Absorbed Better

Iron comes in two forms: heme and non-heme. Heme iron, found in meat, poultry, and fish, is absorbed more easily. Non-heme iron, found in beans, lentils, spinach, tofu, and nuts, is absorbed less well, but eating it with vitamin C can help. Pairing the right foods can make your diet work better for your iron levels.

Foods That Are Good Sources of Iron

  • Red meat, turkey, liver, and fish.
  • Lentils, beans, chickpeas, tofu, and dark leafy greens.
  • Eggs and iron-fortified cereals and breads.
  • Vitamin C sources to eat with plant iron: citrus fruit, kiwi, berries, bell peppers, and tomatoes.

To help your body absorb iron, many providers suggest avoiding tea or coffee during iron-rich meals and not taking calcium supplements or dairy at the same time. Ask your provider or a registered dietitian how to space these out.

Call your provider right away if you have severe tiredness, shortness of breath, a racing or pounding heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, or very heavy bleeding. Your provider may check your hemoglobin and ferritin levels. If you have iron-deficiency anemia, you will usually need iron supplements in addition to dietary changes. Food changes alone often are not enough to correct it.

Learn more

Follow your pregnancy in Nova

Week-by-week growth, a symptom log and a report for your doctor.

Get it on the App Store

General information only; it does not replace advice from your doctor or midwife.