Glassy teeth? Postpartum hair loss? Dry skin? Time to chat postpartum mineral depletion.
- Amy Simpson
- Dec 8
- 6 min read
Mineral depletion is an overlooked and underrated stressor of motherhood. During pregnancy our baby pulls nutrients from our mineral deposits to construct bone, neural tissue and the foundations of every organ system. Once breastfeeding begins, the withdrawals continue so we begin to compensate by diverting minerals from our own bones, hair, skin, and teeth to fulfil bub's daily requirements. This is why post-partum nutrition is our most potent defence against post-partum depletion and life-long health.
Calcium
During pregnancy your baby draws calcium directly from your skeleton to build bone. By the end of pregnancy, bub has downloaded about 30g of calcium, about 80% of this is transferred during the third trimester. This equals roughly 300mg of calcium taken from mum each day in third trimester. After birth the demand continues because breastmilk production requires a steady supply of calcium and phosphorus. To meet this demand, our body increases bone turnover (liberation of calcium) and a measurable dip in bone density occurs in early lactation. Studies report a 4-6% decline in maternal bone density in the first six months of breastfeeding. We need to actively eat enough calcium to ensure that we are replacing and rebuilding our bone density. Low dietary calcium intake combined with the low oestrogen state of lactation can accelerate bone breakdown relative to rebuilding... which actually mirrors the physiological pattern of bone loss seen post menopause.
→ How maternal deficiency shows up: teeth start to look 'see-through' and glassy, tooth and gum sensitivity, bone fractures, muscle cramps, and a general feeling of fragility. Ideally, mother-focused maternity care would include DEXA scanning pre and post pregnancy to ensure that we are rebuilding lost bone and maintaining equilibrium.
Magnesium
Chronic magnesium deficiency is common but almost never considered in a medical setting. Around 1 in 5 women consume less than two thirds of the recommended daily intake. Pregnancy intensifies this issue because the baby and placenta draw continuously from maternal stores. It is estimated that in trimester 3, bub is downloading 3.1-3.3mg/kg of magnesium per day from mum. If intake is inadequate, mum becomes depleted and neurological symptoms can emerge. Magnesium is required for neurotransmitter balance and nervous system stability and several researchers suggest that depletion may contribute to postpartum depression. Low magnesium during gestation can impair bub's growth and increase the risk of premature labour. Deficiency worsens with maternal stress because we use magnesium in our stress physiology. These deficiencies can influence maternal, infant and childhood health. Breastfeeding continues magnesium withdrawals from mum. Breast milk magnesium concentrations range from 25 to 35mg per litre of milk produced. In cases gestational diabetes, chronic low magnesium has been linked to disrupted neonatal calcium metabolism because magnesium and calcium operate in coordinated metabolic pathways.
→ How maternal deficiency shows up: anxiety, postpartum depression, low mood, jaw tension and headaches, poor sleep, restless less, slow recovery from exercise, reactive hypoglycaemia (feeling a high then extreme low soon after eating, "sugar crash"), increased stress reactivity, poor resilience to everyday stressors.
Zinc
Zinc is essential for tissue repair, immune stability, and neurotransmitter function. In the 1980s it was suggested up to 82% of pregnant women globally experience zinc deficiency. A 2025 Slovakian study found 42% of women in their 2nd trimester and 90% of postpartum women were zinc deficient. It is estimated that bub is accumulating 850μg of zinc a day between 24 and 40 weeks of gestation. Lower blood zinc levels have been identified in women with postpartum depression, which highlights its role in mental health recovery as well as physical healing.
→ How deficiency shows up: slow hair regrowth, hair breakage, dental issues, delayed wound healing, dry skin and/or acne, poor digestion, and increased susceptibility to infections and poor immunity.
Iron
Iron demand rises steeply across pregnancy. Pregnancy requires about 1000mg of extra iron to expand blood volume, build the placenta, support fetal development and offset blood loss at delivery. This equates to roughly 6.3mg per day. It is likely that bub is downloading 5mg/kg/day in utero which also places heavy pressure on maternal stores. Many women do not enter pregnancy with enough iron to meet these demands. In fact, global estimates are that 37% have anaemia (medically diagnosed iron deficiency). A recent German study reported that up to 50% of mothers were iron deficient in the early months after birth. Breastfeeding continues the increased use of iron because lactation accelerates maternal red blood cell turnover and raises micronutrient demand. Iron is essential for oxygen transport, mitochondrial energy production, thyroid hormone activity and neurotransmitter synthesis. When levels fall, systemic oxygen delivery drops and fatigue, cognitive slowdown and low mood emerge. Low iron also affects immune function, lactation performance and emotional stability.
→ How deficiency shows up: fatigue, exertional breathlessness, pale gums, slow capillary refill (nail beds take longer than 3 seconds to refill with blood after being squeezed), hair loss, brittle or ridged nails, spoon shaped nails (koilonychia), dark under-eye circles, headaches, palpitations, irritability, mood swings, poor concentration, reduced cognitive performance, lowered immunity, frequent infections, inflamed tongue (glossitis), cracked corners of the mouth (angular cheilitis), impaired milk supply and emotional instability.
Iodine
Iodine is essential for thyroid hormone production and for the developing infant brain. Pregnancy increases iodine needs because the mother must produce more thyroid hormone, transfer iodine to the fetus, and compensate for higher urinary losses as kidney filtration rises. Requirements remain high during lactation because significant amounts of iodine are secreted into breastmilk. A large Norwegian cohort study in 2020 found that most women entered pregnancy and postpartum already iodine deficient according to the WHO targets iodine adequacy. These women remained deficient for the duration of the study (18 months) despite living in a population that consumes more iodine-rich seafood than Australia.
→ How deficiency shows up: hypothyroidism, elevated TSH, fatigue, trouble getting up in the morning, feeling like you could go back to sleep for 4 more hours, slow metabolism (weight gain), dry & brittle hair, hair shedding, and dry itchy scalp.
Selenium
Selenium is a critical trace mineral required for the production of the enzymes that safeguard our cells from oxidative stress. These enzymes neutralise free radicals, limit DNA damage, and suppress pro-inflammatory cytokines. Pregnancy places heavy pressure on selenium stores because maternal plasma selenium activity naturally declines as bub’s expanding red blood cell mass draws from mum’s reserves. Optimal selenium status supports healthy thyroid function and may reduce the risk of complications such as miscarriage, preeclampsia, premature birth, gestational diabetes, and maternal thyroid dysfunction. Low selenium in pregnancy has also been linked to impaired nervous system development in bub, highlighting how essential this mineral is for both of us.
→ How deficiency shows up: thyroid dysfunction, fatigue, low mood, poor resilience to stress, slow wound healing, increased inflammation, and weakened antioxidant defences.
Silica
The role of silica is not completely understood although it appears to have a critical role in connective tissue formation and bone homeostasis. Research shows that pregnant women have strikingly low serum silica compared with age-matched non-pregnant women. This pattern suggests active transfer of silica from mum to bub, likely to support bone mineralisation and connective tissue development. Infants under one year have the highest serum silica levels of all age groups which aligns with periods of rapid structural growth requiring connective tissue. Silica levels then decline progressively through childhood and fall to their lowest point in healthy adults. Silica is likely involved in calcium regulation via skeletal development which suggests that pregnancy and early postpartum are periods of increased vulnerability to low silica status while bub is going through rapid growth.
Note: Silica is difficult to discuss because silica-related disease remains common and silicosis is the most prevalent chronic occupational lung disease worldwide. Many industries expose workers to silica dust, including mining, tunnelling, denim manufacture, construction, brickwork, artificial stone production, and ceramic or porcelain manufacturing. Despite this risk profile, silica also appears to function as an ultra-micronutrient required for human development and connective tissue integrity and is found in non-refined grains, rice, and plant foods.
Your minerals tell the story of pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding long after the dust settles (lol, minerals are rocks, get it... get it!). When you know what your body has given over to growing, birthing, and feeding your bub, you can give yourself what you need to repair and rebuild.
