I would say your gyn is not following one of the most basic rules for all pregnancies. Folic acid is a must and not just for those with thalassemia. 400 mcg daily folic acid is the standard recommended dose for pregnancy in general, but a higher amount is recommended for thals. 1000-2000 mcg daily is a good dose for thal minors. As far as iron, unless you have had iron studies done that show your iron stores to be low, iron should not be taken. Iron studies are a group of tests that together, can diagnose iron deficiency. This cannot be done by hemoglobin or hematocrit level. This is a simple fact, but many doctors mistakenly believe anemia always means iron deficiency. As we know, the anemia of thal minor has nothing to do with iron.