Anemia is a possible complication of pregnancy. There aren’t enough healthy red blood cells in your blood to transport oxygen to your tissues and your unborn child if you suffer from anaemia.
More blood is produced by your body in support of the development of your unborn child when you are pregnant. In the absence of adequate iron or other nutrients, your body may not be able to manufacture enough red blood cells to provide this extra blood supply.
The presence of a slight anaemia during pregnancy is not uncommon. However, you may be suffering from more severe anaemia due to a deficiency in iron or other nutrients, or for other causes.
As a result of anaemia, you may feel exhausted and weak. If the condition is severe yet untreated, it might raise the chance of catastrophic consequences, such as premature birth.
Here’s all you need to know about anaemia during pregnancy, including its origins, symptoms, and treatment.
Pregnancy-related anaemia
It’s possible to suffer from a variety of anemias during pregnancy.
• Anemia due to a lack of iron
• Anemia due to a lack of folate
• A lack of vitamin B12
As a result of the following factors, these forms of anemias may arise.
• A blood disorder caused by a lack of iron. Iron deficiency can lead to this kind of anaemia, which happens when the body does not create enough haemoglobin. That’s a red blood cell protein. It distributes oxygen throughout the body from the lungs.
• Iron-deficiency anaemia is a condition in which the blood is unable to deliver enough oxygen to the body’s tissues.
• Pregnancy anaemia is most commonly caused by iron deficiency.
• Anemia caused by a lack of folate. It’s the vitamin found in green leafy vegetables like kale that is called Folate. Vitamin B12, often known as folate, is essential for cell growth, including the production of healthy red blood cells.
• Pregnant women require an increased intake of folate. However, their diet may fall short on occasion. As a result, the body’s ability to carry oxygen throughout the body is impaired. Folic acid is a synthetic form of folate.
• Birth defects such as spina bifida and underweight babies are directly connected to the mother’s lack of folate in her diet during pregnancy.
A lack of vitamin B12 Vitamin B12 is necessary for the formation of healthy red blood cells in the body. Because the body needs vitamin B12 to make healthy red blood cells, a pregnant woman’s diet must be supplemented with enough of the vitamin. The chance of vitamin B12 deficiency in pregnant women who don’t consume animal products such as meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs is higher, which can lead to birth problems such neural tube abnormalities and premature labour.
Anemia can also result from blood loss during and following childbirth.
Risk Factors for Anemia in Pregnancy
Anemia is a possibility for all expectant mothers. That’s because their iron and folic acid requirements are higher than normal. However, the danger is increased if you are:
• Carrying multiples (more than one kid); • Pregnant with your second child soon after your first;
• Morning sickness causes a great deal of nausea and vomiting.
• Are you a teen mother-to-be?
• Consume insufficient amounts of iron-rich foods
• You were anaemic before to getting pregnant
A Pregnant Woman’s Anemia Symptoms
Pregnancy-related anaemia symptoms include:
• Skin, lips, and nails are all pale
• Exhausted or weakened
• Dizziness
• A feeling of being out of breath
• A pounding heart
• Difficulty focusing
You may not notice any signs of anaemia in the early stages of the disease. Even if you are not anaemic, you may have many of the same symptoms as someone who is expecting a child with anaemia. Pregnant women should have regular blood tests to screen for anaemia, so be sure to do so.
Pregnancy increases the risk of anaemia
Severe iron deficiency anaemia during pregnancy might raise your chance of experiencing the following complications:
• Blood transfusions can be given to premature or low-birth-weight babies (if you lose a significant amount of blood during delivery)
• Depression after childbirth
• Infants with iron deficiency
• Developmental delays in an infant or kid
Folate deficiency, if left untreated, increases your chance of developing:
• Low-birth-weight or premature child
• Birth defect of the spine or brain in a baby (neural tube defects)
• Neural tube abnormalities are more likely in children whose mothers have untreated vitamin B12 insufficiency.
Anemia screening tests
First, you’ll undergo a blood test to see if you’re anaemic during your first prenatal checkup. Included in a normal blood test are:
• The haemoglobin test. Blood haemoglobin, an iron-rich protein, is counted in order to determine how much oxygen is being transported from the lungs to the body’s tissues via red blood cells.
• A hematocrit test. The proportion of red blood cells in a sample of blood is determined using this method.
• If your haemoglobin or hematocrit levels are lower than normal, you may be suffering from iron deficiency anaemia. Depending on the reason of your anaemia, your doctor may do further blood tests.
• In the second or third trimester, even if you don’t have anaemia at the beginning of your pregnancy, your doctor will most likely recommend that you undergo another blood test to screen for anaemia.
Anti-Anemia Therapy
Pregnant women who are anaemic may need to complement their prenatal vitamins with iron and/or folic acid supplements. In addition, your doctor could advise you to up your intake of iron- and folic acid-rich foods.
To make sure that your haemoglobin and hematocrit levels are improving, you’ll be scheduled for another blood test after a certain amount of time.
Your doctor may prescribe that you take a vitamin B12 supplement to address vitamin B12 deficiency.
In addition, your doctor may advise you to consume more animal products, such as:
• Meat
• Eggs
• Dairy products
• You may be sent to a haematologist, a specialist in anaemia and blood disorders, by your OB.
• Your obstetrician and the expert can work together to keep anaemia under control during your pregnancy.
Preventing Anemia
Make sure you receive enough iron when pregnant to avoid anaemia. Maintain a healthy weight by increasing your intake of iron-rich foods and eating a well-balanced diet.
Iron-rich meals include lean red meat, chicken and fish. Aim for at least three servings each day.
Vegetables that are dark green and leafy (such as spinach, broccoli, and kale)
Cereal and grain products fortified with iron
Legumes, such as kidney beans or lentils, and tofu
Seeds and nuts
Eggs
Vitamin C-rich foods can aid in the absorption of iron in the body. • citrus fruits and their liquids
Strawberries
Kiwis
Tomatoes
Red, green, and yellow bell peppers
Consume these meals together with foods high in iron if you want to see whether it helps your iron levels. As an example, you might start your day with a glass of orange juice and a serving of iron-rich cereal.
Folate deficiency may be prevented by eating foods high in folate. These are some examples:
Green leafy foods
Fruit and juice from citrus fruits
Dried legumes
Folic acid-fortified breads and grains
Prenatal vitamins that contain enough amounts of iron and folic acid should be taken as directed by your doctor.
People also search
How can I overcome anemia during pregnancy?
The daily need for iron during pregnancy is 27 milligrammes. Preventing iron deficiency anaemia in pregnancy is another benefit of a healthy diet. Fish, chicken, and red meat are all good sources of iron. Breakfast cereals, dark green leafy vegetables, dried beans, and peas are other good sources of iron.
Can you have a healthy pregnancy with anemia?
Pregnant women with anaemia are more likely to have a healthy pregnancy and child than those who do not. Pregnancy problems may arise if anaemia is not addressed during and after childbirth. Premature delivery is one example.
What is the fastest way to cure anemia?
When it comes to treating iron deficiency anaemia, a combination of vitamin C and iron supplements is frequently the most effective method of boosting your iron levels. Hemoglobin, a component of red blood cells that carries oxygen to organs and other bodily tissues, cannot be produced without iron.
Does anemia in pregnancy affect baby?
Premature birth is more likely if a pregnant woman has severe iron deficiency anaemia (when delivery occurs before 37 complete weeks of pregnancy). Anemia caused by iron deficiency during pregnancy is also linked to low birth weight and postpartum depression in new mothers.
