What is Anemia ?
Types | Symptoms | Complications | Risk Factors | Treatment and Prevention
What is Anemia?
Anemia is the most common problem encountered during pregnancy . about 40 to 70% of pregnant woman in I ndia are suffering from Anemia.
Anemia is defined as decrease in the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood due to decrease amount of hemoglobin.when there are insufficient red blood cells ,
it becomes difficult for your blood to carry oxygen or Iron. This can affect the functioning of the nerves and muscles.
Types of Anemia
There are about 400 types of Anemia . But most common Anemia during Pregnancy are:
- Iron Deficiency Anemia
- Folate Deficiency Anemia
- Vit. B12 deficiency Anemia
1} Iron Deficiency Anemia:
Iron Deficiency anemia occurs when the body does’nt have enough Iron to produce adequate amounts of Haemoglobin. That’s a protein in red blood cells. It
carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. In Iron Deficiency Anemia the blood cannot carry enough oxygen to tissues throughout the body. Iron
Deficiency is the most common cause of Anemia in pregnancy . here are some reasons Low Iron Intake, Increased nutrient demand, poor absorption and utilization.
2} Folate deficiency Anemia:
Folate (folic acid) is a vitamin that works with iron to help with cell growth. if you don’t get enough folate during pregnancy,you could get iron deficiency. Folic Acid
helps cut the risk of having a baby with certain birth defects of the brain and spinal cord if it’s taken before getting pregnant and in early pregnancy.
3}Vit.B12 deficiency Anemia:
vitamin B12 is important in making red blood cells and protein. Eating food that comes from animals, such as milk, eggs,meats, and poultry can prevent vitamin
B12 deficiency. Strict vegans often need to get vitamin B12 shots during pregnancy.
Symptoms:
The most common symptoms of Anemia during Pregnancy are:
- fatigue, weakness,impaired work capacity
- Dizziness, Giddiness,headache
- pale skin lips and nails
- fast heartbeat
Complications:
- Premature birth
- Increased frequency of infections
- cardiac failure
- Low birth weight baby
Risk factors :
Throughout pregannacy the amount of blood in your body increases by 20 to 30 % that means your body needs more red blood cells. you may be at higher
risk of anemia during pregnancy if you are:
- Pregnant with multiples
- Not consumin enough iron
- experiencing heavy menstrual blood before pregnancy.
What is considered severe Anemia?
Severe Anemia is when results of the CBC shows HAEMOGLOBIN THAT’S 6.5 to 9.(g/dl) if you have severe anemia your doctor may do a blood
transfusion.
Treatment:
Treatment for anemia during pregnancy depends upon the severity.
- Mild to moderate anemia: your doctor will usually treat with daily prenatal vitamin , iron supplements.
- severe anemia: you may need a blood transfusion.
Prevention:
In most cases anemia is preventable during preganancy espesially with a diet rich in good nutrition.
1)Prenatal vitamins:
prenatal vitamins typically contai most of the micronutrients that you need during pregnancy, including Iron and folic acid.
2) Iron supplements ;
If you have low iron levels your doctor may recommend a separate Iron supplement in addition to daily prenatal vitamins. Typically you needs
around 27mg of Iron daily during pregnancy.
3)Proper nutrition:
Most pregnant women get sufficient amounts of iron and folic acid during pregnancy by eating the right food
- vegetarian: Green leafy vegetables, spinach, mustard
- cereals:whole wheat, bajra, jowar
- pulses:Green peas beans groundnuts
- Fruits: Apples, banana are medium sources (jaggery, dates)
- non vegetarian: Liver, meat (fish and eggs are medium sources)
If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant be aware of the importance of sufficient amounts of Iron, Folic acid and VIT.B12. follow a well
nourished diet take prenatal vitamins and speak to your doctor if you are experiencing symptoms of Anemia.