Boosting Iron May Boost Female Fertility

Women who took extra iron dramatically reduced their risk of developing ovulatory infertility compared with women who did not take extra iron, researchers report.”It’s actually a very simple problem to correct with iron supplements and probably a multivitamin,” added Dr. Jennifer Wu, an obstetrician/gynecologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. “It would be a very easy fix for infertility if iron plays a role in ovulatory dysfunction.”

But even such a simple solution may not yet be ready for widespread use, she said.

“This is just one study,” Wu said. “We need more studies with larger numbers to indicate what exact level of iron supplement is ideal for women attempting conception.”

She was not involved with the study, which is published in the November issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

According to the study, iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world. Women of childbearing age are at increased risk for the condition, since menstruation, pregnancy and lactation take their toll on the body’s iron supplies.

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