Services

Iron Infusion for Iron Deficiency

Iron deficiency with or without anaemia (low red blood cell count) is one of the most common conditions affecting women of all ages. Most women struggle to meet their iron requirements through diet alone due to ongoing regular menstrual blood losses or low iron from a lifetime of menstruating. Adult pre-menopausal women need approximately 18mg/day of iron which is more than twice the amount of iron than men of the same age. Iron requirements during pregnancy are estimated to be even more ~27mg/day. It can be very difficult to meet this requirement and supplementation is often required.

How can we manage iron deficiency?

Dietary Changes

Iron can be sourced from a number of different nutritious foods. See the link below from Nutrition Australia for both animal and plant based food sources of iron.  There are also a number of iron fortified foods such as cereals like Weetbix. 

Oral Supplements

Iron can be replaced by oral supplements such as Ferrograd C, Maltofer, Ferro F Tab and Ferropods which are all medical grade iron supplements with 100 - 105mg of elemental iron which are available over the counter without a prescription. They are usually taken daily or alternate daily but many women have side effects which may make them intolerable for prolonged supplementation. These include constipation and gastrointestinal upset. These will generally be suggested by your doctor as a safe first line option. 

Iron Infusions

If you have severe iron deficiency or are unable to tolerate oral iron supplementation your doctor may recommend an iron infusion. Your doctor may refer you to our service to provide you with an iron infusion, as we routinely provide this service and are confident we will be able to provide you with excellent medical care during this time.

At Women’s Health Road we will conduct a brief medical assessment to ensure this is an appropriate and safe treatment option for you. We will then proceed with the iron infusion under direct medical supervision throughout the procedure to minimise the risk of any complications. First we will place a cannula into your vein and then provide the infusion over the next 15-20 minutes, which is then followed by a period of observation. Some women have a hot flushing sensation during the infusion although this generally settles quickly with taking a break during the procedure, otherwise an iron infusion is generally very well tolerated. Some women experience some other mild side effects but these are generally all short lived. Rarely iron infusions can be associated with brown staining to the skin at the cannula site. This is rare and we minimise this risk by performing the procedure by a medical practitioner (doctor) rather than nursing staff. 

Cost

Our iron infusions are completed from start to finish by a medical practitioner to ensure the highest level of safety for your infusion and to reduce the risk of complications such as staining of the skin. Our price list can be found here.

Resources:  

Ferrinject iron infusion - patient information leaflet 

Nutrition Australia Iron Deficiency Factsheet