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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Foul Vaginal Smell While On Ferrous Sulfate?

Hello, I take ferrous sulfate 325 mg tablets for low iron during pregnancy..and since I ve started taking them I ve noticed a foul smell from my vagina. I bathe daily and practice good hygiene. Do you think the supplements are causing the odor? Or should I see my OB about something more serious
Tue, 25 Oct 2016
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Dietitian & Nutritionist,  's  Response
Hello My Dear,
Are you also taking vitamins with the B complex in them that turns the urine yellow and also causes it to smell? While absolutely vital, this may be the source of your smell, not your iron. Nevertheless, anemia needs to be corrected for baby to thrive. Some of my patients refuse to take B vitamins because of the foul smell. Drink lots of water. It may be the anemia itself.

Now, the smell most often comes from urine, not your vagina, if it were caused by excretion of any of the vitamins.

For precautions you might want to have it checked just to be safe. Anemia (iron deficiency) is a strong predictor of bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women. BV can also be brought on by prolonged stress. Untreated bacterial vaginosis may cause serious complications, such as increased susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections, an increase in the development of pelvic inflammatory disease, as well as other complications for pregnant women.

So, I suggest you check this out with your gynecologist.

Respectfully, Kathryn Shattler, MS, RDN
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What Causes Foul Vaginal Smell While On Ferrous Sulfate?

Hello My Dear, Are you also taking vitamins with the B complex in them that turns the urine yellow and also causes it to smell? While absolutely vital, this may be the source of your smell, not your iron. Nevertheless, anemia needs to be corrected for baby to thrive. Some of my patients refuse to take B vitamins because of the foul smell. Drink lots of water. It may be the anemia itself. Now, the smell most often comes from urine, not your vagina, if it were caused by excretion of any of the vitamins. For precautions you might want to have it checked just to be safe. Anemia (iron deficiency) is a strong predictor of bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women. BV can also be brought on by prolonged stress. Untreated bacterial vaginosis may cause serious complications, such as increased susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections, an increase in the development of pelvic inflammatory disease, as well as other complications for pregnant women. So, I suggest you check this out with your gynecologist. Respectfully, Kathryn Shattler, MS, RDN