Anemia during pregnancy – symptoms and prevention of anemia

Anemia during pregnancy – symptoms and prevention of anemia

Anemia is a common pregnancy complication faced by many expecting mothers. Anemia is primarily a deficiency of iron when the red blood cells in the body do not have enough of iron content to circulate oxygen around the body. The most obvious symptoms of anemia are breathlessness and tiredness. A regular intake of iron is important. From even before you have conceived you should have been consuming at least 15 mg of iron each day and during your pregnancy you need to consume twice of that which is 30 mg to make sure your baby stays healthy.

When you go for your first prenatal visit, your doctor will check your blood to know what your level of hemoglobin is. It is normal if your level of hemoglobin has dropped by a little margin during your pregnancy because all the excess fluid does tend to dilute your red blood cells. According to the World Health Organization, 35% to 75% women in the United States are anemic. You would thus be required to take iron supplements from the earliest stages of your pregnancy and if you have high levels of iron in the first trimester, the supplements will be given to you during the following trimesters. Do not worry about these things; your doctor will help to guide you through with the prescription of iron intake.

Fatigue is a common symptom of anemia but obviously that would not always let you know that you are anemic since while you are pregnant, feeling drained out is quite a natural thing. So look out for these symptoms – if your skin is looking pale, if your nails are feeling brittle, if you feel like you cannot breathe in enough air, if you are getting dizzy very frequently, if you want to drink and eat unusual things – these are all signs of anemia. However since these do not determine definitely if you are anemic, do go in for a blood check before you reach a conclusion.

If you are anemic by a very small margin, improving your diet will help to mend your problem and this should be discussed with your doctor. However if your iron levels are low which means that you are shockingly anemic, you will be given iron supplements. But you should be aware that many a times iron supplements tend to cause constipation so make sure while you are on these supplements which you obviously need, you must eat a lot of fibers as well like salads. If this does not help, ask your doctor if you can take a different brand of iron supplements as there are plenty of options and a different one could prove to suit you better.

There are women who would stand a slightly higher chance of anemia. These would be women who in general avoid the intake of iron in their daily diet. Such women would also find their morning sickness more aggravated than others. There are chances that you would have anemia and somebody else would not considering you have had a pregnancy not very long ago before you conceived this one or if you are carrying two kids instead of one or if you experienced a very heavy period just before your pregnancy. However do not worry about your baby getting affected by your anemia. If you deal with the problem while it lasts, you would not be hampering your baby’s needs. Your baby will not be demanding for iron supplies will the second trimester so you have the whole of the first trimester to set things right.

Obstetricians are of the opinion that taking iron supplements alone do not help to raise levels of hemoglobin in your body. A combination of iron and protein helps to reach the desired level. In fact animal proteins are the best option! Pulses, legumes, spinach, fenugreek, mustard, coriander, mint, soya beans, whole meal breads, cereals, potatoes, prunes and raisins are the must haves in this list. Try to cut down on your consumption of tea, cola and coffee as these products make it difficult for your body to absorb iron.

Also Read : Get the tips, diet and care required for healthy pregnancy

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