# Iron supplementation and iron screening in pregnancy Intervention · id `maternal:antenatal-iron-supplementation` · Maternal & Newborn Atlas · release `c7fb95f1d15a7d13` (public) > General information from published sources, not medical advice, and not reviewed by clinicians. Check the cited source before relying on anything here. The atlas's own text and curation may be reused under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/): credit the atlas, and do not use it commercially. See the atlas About page. Text quoted from a source stays under that source's own terms, given as the source's reuse\_basis. The atlas's reuse terms do not cover it. The downloads list each quotation with its source in third\_party\_quotations. Browse, life stage: Pregnancy Browse, care area: Routine pregnancy care ## In plain language Iron deficiency is the leading cause of anemia during pregnancy. The US Preventive Services Task Force asked two questions about healthy pregnant people: should they be screened for iron deficiency, and should they routinely take iron supplements? In 2024 it said the current evidence is insufficient to judge the balance of benefits and harms of either. That describes the evidence; it is not a finding that iron is harmful or useless. MedlinePlus says pregnancy raises the need for some vitamins and minerals and advises checking with a provider before starting or stopping any medicine or supplement. ## Technical summary USPSTF 2024: two I statements (insufficient evidence) for asymptomatic pregnant adolescents and adults, each recorded as a separate claim. The abstract gives survey data from 1999 to 2006 estimating that iron deficiency in pregnancy is near 18% overall and rises across the trimesters (6.9%, 14.3% and 28.4%), and that an estimated 5% of pregnant persons have iron deficiency anemia. Other guidance on iron in pregnancy is not covered. ## Claims, with the population each applies to ## Context: Asymptomatic pregnant adolescents and adults (USPSTF 2024 iron statement) Recipient: Maternal; Population: Asymptomatic pregnant adolescents and adults.; Care setting: Not stated in the PubMed abstract; Geography: United States (statement of the US Preventive Services Task Force); the abstract names no country.; Life stage: Pregnancy; Gestational age: Not reported; Postnatal age: Not reported; Follow-up: Not applicable (recommendation context) ### The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in asymptomatic pregnant persons to prevent adverse maternal and infant health outcomes. It labels this an I statement and says the balance of benefits and harms cannot be determined. - Category: Recommendation - Evidence stage: Guidance - Certainty: Certainty not assessed - Applies to: Recipient: Maternal; Population: Asymptomatic pregnant adolescents and adults.; Care setting: Not stated in the PubMed abstract; Geography: United States (statement of the US Preventive Services Task Force); the abstract names no country.; Life stage: Pregnancy; Gestational age: Not reported; Postnatal age: Not reported; Follow-up: Not applicable (recommendation context) - Limitations: An I statement is a statement about the evidence: the task force could not determine the balance of benefits and harms. It is not a recommendation for or against screening, and it does not say screening is harmful or useless. Only the PubMed abstract was read. - Last checked: 2026-10-14 - Sources: 1. Supports: Screening and Supplementation for Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia During Pregnancy: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, fetched 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not fetched.) Locator: Abstract, EVIDENCE ASSESSMENT, sentence 1. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:20Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: c7b15894af7ca080a6de1c55e87627a2c3716c9788457bc62999f227a6c81557. How it applies: PubMed abstract of the USPSTF 2024 statement. 2. Supports: Screening and Supplementation for Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia During Pregnancy: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, fetched 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not fetched.) Locator: Abstract, RECOMMENDATION, sentence 1. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:20Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: c7b15894af7ca080a6de1c55e87627a2c3716c9788457bc62999f227a6c81557. How it applies: PubMed abstract of the USPSTF 2024 statement. 3. Background: Screening and Supplementation for Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia During Pregnancy: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, fetched 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not fetched.) Locator: Abstract, POPULATION, sentence 1. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:20Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: c7b15894af7ca080a6de1c55e87627a2c3716c9788457bc62999f227a6c81557. How it applies: Population, objective and background. 4. Background: Screening and Supplementation for Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia During Pregnancy: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, fetched 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not fetched.) Locator: Abstract, OBJECTIVE, sentence 1. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:20Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: c7b15894af7ca080a6de1c55e87627a2c3716c9788457bc62999f227a6c81557. How it applies: Population, objective and background. 5. Background: Screening and Supplementation for Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia During Pregnancy: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, fetched 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not fetched.) Locator: Abstract, IMPORTANCE, sentence 1. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:20Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: c7b15894af7ca080a6de1c55e87627a2c3716c9788457bc62999f227a6c81557. How it applies: Population, objective and background. 6. Background: Screening and Supplementation for Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia During Pregnancy: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, fetched 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not fetched.) Locator: Abstract, IMPORTANCE, sentence 3. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:20Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: c7b15894af7ca080a6de1c55e87627a2c3716c9788457bc62999f227a6c81557. How it applies: Population, objective and background. ### The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of routine supplementation for iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in asymptomatic pregnant persons to prevent adverse maternal and infant health outcomes. It labels this an I statement and says the balance of benefits and harms cannot be determined. - Category: Recommendation - Evidence stage: Guidance - Certainty: Certainty not assessed - Applies to: Recipient: Maternal; Population: Asymptomatic pregnant adolescents and adults.; Care setting: Not stated in the PubMed abstract; Geography: United States (statement of the US Preventive Services Task Force); the abstract names no country.; Life stage: Pregnancy; Gestational age: Not reported; Postnatal age: Not reported; Follow-up: Not applicable (recommendation context) - Limitations: An I statement is a statement about the evidence: the task force could not determine the balance of benefits and harms. It is not a recommendation against iron supplements, and it does not say supplements are harmful or useless. Other guidance on iron in pregnancy is outside this claim. Only the PubMed abstract was read. - Last checked: 2026-10-14 - Sources: 1. Supports: Screening and Supplementation for Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia During Pregnancy: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, fetched 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not fetched.) Locator: Abstract, EVIDENCE ASSESSMENT, sentence 2. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:20Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: c7b15894af7ca080a6de1c55e87627a2c3716c9788457bc62999f227a6c81557. How it applies: PubMed abstract of the USPSTF 2024 statement. 2. Supports: Screening and Supplementation for Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia During Pregnancy: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, fetched 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not fetched.) Locator: Abstract, RECOMMENDATION, sentence 2. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:20Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: c7b15894af7ca080a6de1c55e87627a2c3716c9788457bc62999f227a6c81557. How it applies: PubMed abstract of the USPSTF 2024 statement. 3. Supports: Screening and Supplementation for Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia During Pregnancy: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, fetched 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not fetched.) Locator: Abstract, RECOMMENDATION, sentence 3. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:20Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: c7b15894af7ca080a6de1c55e87627a2c3716c9788457bc62999f227a6c81557. How it applies: PubMed abstract of the USPSTF 2024 statement. 4. Background: Screening and Supplementation for Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia During Pregnancy: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, fetched 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not fetched.) Locator: Abstract, POPULATION, sentence 1. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:20Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: c7b15894af7ca080a6de1c55e87627a2c3716c9788457bc62999f227a6c81557. How it applies: Population and objective. 5. Background: Screening and Supplementation for Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia During Pregnancy: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, fetched 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not fetched.) Locator: Abstract, OBJECTIVE, sentence 1. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:20Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: c7b15894af7ca080a6de1c55e87627a2c3716c9788457bc62999f227a6c81557. How it applies: Population and objective. ## Guidance, authorization and access ### Recommendation `maternal:rec-uspstf-2024-iron-screening` - Intervention: Iron supplementation and iron screening in pregnancy (`maternal:antenatal-iron-supplementation`) - Direction: Evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against - Issued by: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (`core:uspstf`) - Guideline record: USPSTF 2024: screening and supplementation for iron deficiency in pregnancy (`maternal:guideline-uspstf-2024-iron-pregnancy`) - Guideline: Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia During Pregnancy: Screening and Supplementation (USPSTF final recommendation statement page), edition Final recommendation statement page as fetched on 2026-10-14 (mx-uspstf-iron-deficiency-anemia-in-pregnant-women-screening-and-supplementation.html). The date under the title is August 20, 2024.; snapshot `maternal:uspstf-iron-pregnancy-2024-2026-10-14` - Jurisdictions: United States; note: United States (the issuer is a United States task force). - Strength: I statement (USPSTF letter grades: A, B, C and D recommendations, and the I statement for when the evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against. The grade reflects the Task Force's certainty about net benefit. These are not GRADE strength labels.) - Effective: 2024-08-20 (The date under the title of the USPSTF final recommendation statement page, August 20, 2024. The statement was also published in JAMA, which has its own issue date.) - Supersession: Not checked - Applies to: Recipient: Maternal; Population: Asymptomatic pregnant adolescents and adults.; Care setting: Not stated in the PubMed abstract; Geography: United States (statement of the US Preventive Services Task Force); the abstract names no country.; Life stage: Pregnancy; Gestational age: Not reported; Postnatal age: Not reported; Follow-up: Not applicable (recommendation context) - Basis: claim `maternal:claim-uspstf-2024-iron-screening-insufficient` ### Recommendation `maternal:rec-uspstf-2024-iron-supplementation` - Intervention: Iron supplementation and iron screening in pregnancy (`maternal:antenatal-iron-supplementation`) - Direction: Evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against - Issued by: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (`core:uspstf`) - Guideline record: USPSTF 2024: screening and supplementation for iron deficiency in pregnancy (`maternal:guideline-uspstf-2024-iron-pregnancy`) - Guideline: Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia During Pregnancy: Screening and Supplementation (USPSTF final recommendation statement page), edition Final recommendation statement page as fetched on 2026-10-14 (mx-uspstf-iron-deficiency-anemia-in-pregnant-women-screening-and-supplementation.html). The date under the title is August 20, 2024.; snapshot `maternal:uspstf-iron-pregnancy-2024-2026-10-14` - Jurisdictions: United States; note: United States (the issuer is a United States task force). - Strength: I statement (USPSTF letter grades: A, B, C and D recommendations, and the I statement for when the evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against. The grade reflects the Task Force's certainty about net benefit. These are not GRADE strength labels.) - Effective: 2024-08-20 (The date under the title of the USPSTF final recommendation statement page, August 20, 2024. The statement was also published in JAMA, which has its own issue date.) - Supersession: Not checked - Applies to: Recipient: Maternal; Population: Asymptomatic pregnant adolescents and adults.; Care setting: Not stated in the PubMed abstract; Geography: United States (statement of the US Preventive Services Task Force); the abstract names no country.; Life stage: Pregnancy; Gestational age: Not reported; Postnatal age: Not reported; Follow-up: Not applicable (recommendation context) - Basis: claim `maternal:claim-uspstf-2024-iron-supplementation-insufficient` ## Connected pages - Filed under this front: Prevention and nutrition (`maternal:front-prevention-and-nutrition`) - Iron is discussed at antenatal visits; USPSTF 2024 issued I statements on screening and on supplementation: Antenatal (prenatal) care (`maternal:antenatal-care`) ## Provenance Content hash: 8facc2a43d18c1fd3a521159e93e8afefacc3074893df25f418928c23e4c79b6 Last substantive edit: 2026-10-14 Evidence last checked: 2026-10-14