Preface: It is the greatest wish of every mother who is preparing for pregnancy to take a reasonable supplement to provide a good environment for her baby to conceive. With the popularity of medicine, folic acid supplementation before pregnancy has been widely accepted, and many women prefer folic acid when preparing for pregnancy. Folic acid is certainly an indispensable nutritional element for fetal growth and development, and the right amount of folic acid supplementation before pregnancy can effectively prevent birth defects in babies. However, is folic acid supplementation alone sufficient during pregnancy preparation? According to the data, women’s hemoglobin drops to the lowest level between 30 and 32 weeks of pregnancy, resulting in “physiological anemia of pregnancy”, on top of which if the body is deficient in iron, the fetus may be at risk. Many women preparing for pregnancy are aware of the importance of folic acid supplementation, but they often neglect iron supplementation. In fact, preconception iron supplementation is as vital as preconception folic acid supplementation to safeguard the health of both mother and child. Iron supplementation before pregnancy is also important! Due to the large increase in blood volume in the mother’s body during pregnancy and the developmental needs of the fetal hematopoietic system, the amount of blood in the body will increase by 30%-45%, requiring more iron than the average person to synthesize hemoglobin for the extra increase in blood volume. Once the body’s iron stores are insufficient, it will lead to iron deficiency anemia. The Report on Nutrition and Chronic Diseases in China (2015) shows that although the rate of anemia among pregnant women has decreased in recent years, 17.2% of pregnant women still suffer from anemia and deficiencies of iron and other nutrients still exist. Therefore, pre-pregnancy iron supplementation is imperative. Studies have shown that iron deficiency is one of the common nutritional deficiencies in women during pregnancy, and iron deficiency anemia is a common complication of pregnancy. Iron deficiency is a serious threat to the health of the pregnant woman and the fetus along with the iron deficiency anemia that results when there is a severe iron deficiency. Iron deficiency or anemia in pregnant women can increase maternal pregnancy complications such as hyperemesis, infections, and even anemic heart failure; it also has a greater impact on the fetus, such as increased incidence of preterm birth, fetal dysplasia, intrauterine distress, and even irreversible effects on fetal and neonatal mental development. Therefore, the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2007 Edition) points out that good iron nutrition in the first trimester is essential for a successful pregnancy, and women should reserve enough iron before pregnancy for use during pregnancy. If a woman suffers from iron deficiency or iron deficiency anemia before pregnancy, serum ferritin and routine blood tests are recommended to clarify the degree of iron deficiency or anemia, and timely iron supplementation to correct the anemia, so as to avoid aggravating the anemia after pregnancy and even endangering the safety of mother and child. How to supplement iron scientifically before pregnancy? Since iron supplementation before pregnancy is so important, when and how to supplement iron is the most appropriate? Usually, for women who are preparing for pregnancy, it is most suitable to start iron supplementation at least 3 months before pregnancy, which can significantly reduce the risk of anemia when entering pregnancy and throughout pregnancy. This is because iron can be stored in the body for as long as 4 months, and symptoms of iron deficiency anemia usually begin to appear in mid-pregnancy, so starting iron supplementation 3 months before pregnancy is the right time to reserve a large amount of iron for mid-pregnancy, which can effectively prevent anemia from occurring during pregnancy, which is most beneficial to the healthy development of pregnant women and fetuses. Food is the direct source of iron needed by the human body. Pregnant mothers and mothers-to-be should eat more iron-rich foods. Animal foods such as animal liver, animal whole blood and red meat contain heme iron, which is similar to the iron needed by the human body and has a relatively high absorption rate. In addition, black rice, eggs, black fungus, sesame, seaweed and other foods are also iron-rich foods, usually pay attention to eat more of such foods. However, dietary supplements alone are far from enough to meet the iron needs during pregnancy, so it is recommended that pre-pregnancy iron-rich foods be consumed along with appropriate iron supplements under the guidance of a physician. Studies in recent years have also shown that the prevalence of anemia in pregnant women who took iron supplements before and during pregnancy was significantly lower than in those who did not. Iron supplementation from preconception throughout pregnancy can effectively reduce the incidence of anemia. In conclusion, iron is as important a nutrient as folic acid, and preconception iron supplementation is necessary to ensure the health of mother and child. We hope that mothers who are preparing for pregnancy will pay attention to iron supplementation and prevention of iron deficiency anemia, and we wish all mothers who are preparing for pregnancy will give birth to healthy and smart babies.