Anemia is one of the most common complications during pregnancy. It is caused by a drop in iron below normal limits, and it is suffered by about 95% of pregnant women. So if you have anemia in pregnancy do not panic as it is more frequent than we think. Today we are going to talk about why anemia occurs more during pregnancy, its symptoms and how it affects the mother and the baby.
Why does anemia occur more during pregnancy?
Iron is essential in the body of all of us, since it is responsible for producing red blood cells whose function is to carry oxygen from the lungs to other cells in our body. During pregnancy the blood increases in the body up to 50% more than usual, so the need for iron increases in addition to the needs of the baby. Your body needs more iron to make more blood and to supply your baby with more oxygen.
During the first quarter, iron needs are lower, reaching 0,8 milligrams per day. During the second and third these needs increase reaching 30 milligrams a day. That is why it is more common to suffer from anemia in the second trimester of pregnancy.
Anemia can also be caused by not taking the necessary amount of folic acid or vitamin B12, if the woman loses a lot of blood, or by certain diseases or blood disorders.
You are more likely to suffer from anemia in pregnancy if it is a multiple pregnancy, you have frequent pregnancies, you vomit frequently, a history of anemia in pregnancy, you do not consume enough iron or you have had a heavy menstruation before pregnancy.
What are the symptoms of anemia and how does it affect the baby?
It is important to know the symptoms to know that we have an iron problem. Anemia causes a excessive or unwarranted tiredness and fatigue. It is normal for these symptoms to be confused with those of pregnancy. Also with anemia it is normal to have skin paler than usual, losing a lot of hair, weakness, loss of appetite, dizziness or vertigo, headache, episodes of anxiety and having rapid heartbeats. But if the anemia is mild, you may not have any of these symptoms. That is why analytics and controls are also necessary to detect a possible lack of iron, whether or not there are symptoms in your case.
The baby's body is ready to cover its iron deficiency, taking his part before the mother. But if the lack of iron is prolonged there is a risk that the baby is born with low weight, that a premature birth occurs and that the risk of anemia during infancy increases.
What is the treatment of anemia in pregnancy?
If the pregnant woman has an iron deficiency, it is recommended to take iron dosage supplements, which are usually taken during the second trimester of pregnancy. If your iron stores were low before pregnancy, you may need to take them even earlier. The amounts will vary from case to case, as long as its consumption does not adversely affect the baby. These iron supplements can cause nausea and vomiting so it is recommended to take them on an empty stomach and with an orange juice to improve its absorption, never with milk, tea or coffee. In the most serious cases the doctor may consider it necessary to do a blood transfusion.
The ideal way to prevent iron deficiency is to have a rich and varied diet, especially eating iron rich foods and carry out the corresponding analyzes to detect as soon as possible a drop in iron levels. Among those foods rich in iron you have egg yolk, almonds, walnuts, whole wheat bread, sardines, seafood (never raw or undercooked), legumes and pork. However, when iron deposits are very low or there are no iron, it is not enough to eat foods rich in iron but it is also necessary to take vitamin supplements.
Why remember ... anemia is very common in pregnant women that it does not have to be serious if it is treated.