Giving Blood Supplements Tablets to Pregnant Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Did you know that the government gives free blood supplements to pregnant women? The program of providing blood supplement tablets (TTD) to pregnant women was started in 1990 to prevent and overcome iron deficiency anemia and as one of the specific interventions to accelerate the reduction of dwarfism. During the Covid-19 pandemic, giving TTD to pregnant women still needs to be done by paying attention to social and physical distancing.

This is done to meet the need for iron during pregnancy, which is necessary for the growth of the fetus, the placenta, and the prevention of bleeding during childbirth. In addition, the need for iron in pregnant women increased by 25% compared to non-pregnant women. These needs are very difficult to meet only from food intake, moreover, the food consumed daily often does not contain enough iron. Here's how to give and consume TTD for pregnant women.

Provision of Blood Booster Tablets for Pregnant Women:

1. Necessary to meet iron intake, in preparation for a healthy pregnancy and delivery.
2. To prevent anemia, at least 90 (ninety) tablets are given during pregnancy.
3. To minimize side effects, do not take Blood Booster Tablets on an empty stomach.

How To Consume Iron To Prevent Anemia Effectively:

1. Blood Booster Tablets should be taken at night before bed to reduce nausea.
2. Blood Booster Tablets are consumed with foods or drinks that contain vitamin C, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and fruit juices so that the iron absorption in the body is better.
3. Do not take Blood Booster Tablets with tea, coffee, milk, antacids, and lime tablets, as these inhibit the absorption of iron.
4. If you feel nauseous in your stomach, are nauseous, and have black feces after taking the Blood Booster Tablets, don't worry as this is harmless and your body will adapt.

Blood Booster Tablets supplementation in the COVID-19 pandemic

During the pandemic, the consumption of iron is very important to prevent anemia while increasing the body's immunity against the coronavirus. Blood Booster Tablets can still be acquired by pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic in the following ways:

1. If the Puskesmas remains open, pregnant women can receive blood tablets by agreement from the obstetrician or nutritionist by applying the principles of infection prevention.
2. In pregnant women with ODP (People Under Monitoring), PDP (Patients Under Supervision), or Positive for COVID-19 status, the administration of Blood Booster Tablets should be postponed, and must consult a doctor for a schedule of supplementation.
3. Pregnant women can take independent Blood Booster Tablets with an iron content of at least 60 mg of elemental iron and 400 mcg of folic acid (the same as the Blood Booster Tablets program), which can be purchased at pharmacies or drug stores.
4. Pregnant women should report this on the Blood Booster Tablets drinking control card in the KIA Book or manually register them for reporting to the obstetrician or nutritionist.
5. Communicate by contacting midwives or nutritionists via phone, text, social media, or chat applications if you have questions.
6. Midwives or nutritionists can make home visits to pregnant women based on a previous agreement to distribute iron tablets, while the principles of infection prevention are still applied.

The government is still trying to reduce the rate of anemia in pregnant women, as currently one in two pregnant women is anemic. Let's help the government by consuming iron tablets regularly and as recommended!

Source:

Kementerian Kesehatan RI. (2020). Pedoman Pemberian Tablet Tambah Darah (TTD) Bagi Ibu Hamil Pada Masa Pandemi Covid-19. Jakarta: Kementerian Kesehatan RI.

Keep reading articles from Fitie to get the latest health information, especially for Indonesian women!