A 27-year-old primigravida asks the nurse how much iron she needs during her pregnancy. The correct response of the nurse is

Explanation

• During pregnancy, approximately 30 mg of iron is needed per day.

• Non-pregnant women require about 18 mg of iron per day.

• Iron is important for the formation of hemoglobin to carry oxygen throughout the body. Iron will be transferred to the fetus even if maternal iron intake is inadequate, but this causes depletion of the mother's iron stores, leading to maternal anemia.

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