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Without adequate amounts of this vitamin from the diet, the body can’t make enough healthy red blood cells. Women who don’t eat meat, poultry, dairy and eggs are at a greater risk of this. Vitamin B12 deficiency may contribute to birth defects, similar to inadequate folic acid.

Treatment

• Iron supplements treat iron-deficiency anemia, along with eating iron-rich and vitamin C-rich foods and beverages.
• Folic acid supplements treat folic acid deficiency, along with eating folic acid-rich foods and beverages.
• Vegans, vegetarians, and those who don’t eat meat should discuss the need for a vitamin B12 supplement with their doctor.

Self-Care

Getting and Absorbing Iron

• Eat more iron rich foods. Examples: green leafy vegetables, lean red meat, poultry, dried fruit, and iron-fortified cereals.
• Take prenatal vitamins and iron pills. Follow your health care provider’s advice. You absorb iron best on an empty stomach. Don’t take vitamins with iron at the same time you take calcium or foods with a lot of calcium. Calcium lessens your body’s power to absorb iron.
• Boost your body’s power to absorb iron. Eat foods high in vitamin C. Examples: citrus fruits, tomatoes, strawberries.
• Limit black tea. Large amounts reduce iron absorption.
• Avoid antacids and phosphates. Phosphates are in soft drinks, beer, ice cream, and candy bars. Avoid the food additive EDTA, too. All these keep you from absorbing iron.

Getting and Absorbing Folic Acid

• Eat good food sources of folic acid every day. Examples: asparagus, brussels sprouts, spinach, romaine lettuce, collard greens, broccoli, black-eyed peas, cantaloupe, orange juice, oatmeal, fortified whole grain cereals.
• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Don’t overcook food. Heat destroys folic acid.
• Take the daily prenatal vitamins named by your health care provider. These contain folic acid and other vitamins and iron.
• Don’t smoke. Don’t drink alcohol.

Getting Vitamin B12

• Eat foods that contain good sources, such as meat, poultry, eggs, low-fat dairy, and fortified breakfast cereal.
• If you don’t eat animal products, you may need to take a vitamin B12 supplement or fortified nutritional yeasts.