Dosages are usually about 300 milligrams two to three times a day. Your best source of iron is meat, especially red meat or liver. Turkey, chicken and fish are not as high but do contain iron. Egg yolks, green leafy vegetables, dark-red kidney beans, chickpeas and dried fruits are good sources, as are dried fruits. Fortified cereals such as Total or Product 19 should be eaten once or twice daily.
Vitamin C can help absorption of iron.
If your supplement provides more than 18 milligrams of elemental iron, it is money down the drain. I would ask your provider how much iron he or she would recommend. This might depend upon how low it is and upon your history. If you are nearing 26 to 30 weeks, this is a time of major iron depletion, as the blood volume increases faster than red-cell volume. True iron deficiency can be detected by tests such as serum ferritin levels, a peripheral smear or red-cell indices.