During pregnancy, iron needs to increase substantially to support fetoplacental development
and maternal adaptation to pregnancy. To meet these iron requirements, both dietary iron
absorption and the mobilization of iron from stores increase, a mechanism that is in large
part dependent on the iron-regulatory hormone hepcidin. In healthy human pregnancies,
maternal hepcidin concentrations are suppressed in the second and third trimesters, thereby
facilitating an increased supply of iron into the circulation. The mechanism of maternal …