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Anaemia during pregnancy

How does anemia affect baby during pregnancy?

How does anemia affect baby during pregnancy?

How does iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy affect the baby? Severe anemia during pregnancy increases your risk of premature birth, having a low birth weight baby and postpartum depression. Some studies also show an increased risk of infant death immediately before or after birth.

Anaemia during pregnancy

Anemia, or anemia , is defined as a decrease in the amount of red blood cells. Is determined  pregnancy anemia or  anemia during pregnancy , according to a formula or equation specific to red blood cells in the range of tests carried routine.
Hemoglobin: The main protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body and returns carbon dioxide.

The decline in blood hemoglobin when women are not pregnant, about the size of 12 mg for one hundred cubic centimeters, evidence of anemia. The percentages during pregnancy are lower, ranging between 10-11 mg per hundred cubic centimeters, due to the fluidity of the blood during pregnancy.

There are many causes of anemia in general.

Symptoms 

Symptoms of anemia vary from woman to woman. Some of them do not feel any symptoms, and others feel tired, dizzy, labored in breathing, rapid heartbeat and pallor in the face.

Causes and risk factors

The fluidity of the blood, iron deficiency and a  deficiency in folic acid, are among the factors that may result from malnutrition or bleeding, which means a decrease in the production of red cells or their loss.

Blood fluidity: During pregnancy, the mother’s blood volume increases by 50%. The volume of blood (plasma) increases more than the volume of red cells, which leads to a dilution of the concentration of red cells. This anemia is often not medically important, because it actually increases the number of red cells, not decreases. The term gestational anemia, or physiological anemia, is not good, because it does not reflect the presence of true anemia.

Iron deficiency: Iron is necessary for the production of hemoglobin in red blood cells. A woman’s body contains about 2 grams of iron. About two-thirds of the amount of iron is contained within red cells, and a quarter is stored in a protein called ferritin, and the rest of the iron is found in muscles and enzymes. A normal pregnancy requires one gram of iron, of which half a gram is needed to produce new red cells. A third of a gram for the fetus and placenta, a fifth of a gram is lost through the skin, faeces and urine, and another fifth of a gram is lost as a result of haemorrhage at the time of delivery. Milk production requires when feeding, iron, too. The amount of iron required during pregnancy is greater than the amount found in a normal diet. In order to provide adequate iron, a diet containing 800 calories per day is required, which is impractical. Therefore, the process of childbirth and breastfeeding may lead to a decrease in iron stores in the body, and thus the need for iron supplementation for pregnant women.

Treating anemia during pregnancy

The treatment of gestational anemia is determined according to its cause and severity. Anemia is often caused by iron deficiency and blood thinning, so the initial treatment includes iron supplementation. The  usual treatment for anemia is to take iron supplements, starting in the second trimester of pregnancy. There is no need for supplementation in the first half, because demand is still low. Supplements can be taken several times a day, and this is considered healthy during pregnancy.

The side effects of iron supplements are mainly nausea, constipation or a change in the color of stool. Optimal iron absorption is achieved when taken at least half an hour before a meal. On the other hand, taking it before bed reduces side effects. If these effects make it difficult to continue taking it, it is possible to change the type or when to take it. Most iron supplements contain 60 milligrams of iron, of which 10 percent is absorbed. The need for iron increases during pregnancy and reaches about 7 mg per day. Absorption in the intestine quality rises in pregnancy. An acidic environment improves absorption, so citrus juice that contains vitamin C increases the acidity in the stomach, which improves absorption, while eating shortly after taking iron or taking antacid drugs reduces absorption.

Folic acid deficiency: is a vitamin necessary for the production of red blood cells. It is found in green vegetables, liver, and pistachios (peanuts). During pregnancy, the need for folic acid increases, while its absorption in the intestine decreases. Its stock in the liver is sufficient for six weeks, so it is preferable to add it during pregnancy. Most iron supplements also contain folic acid. It is preferable to start taking it three months before the planned pregnancy, because its presence in the blood at a high rate reduces fetal abnormalities, such as abnormalities in the central nervous system. As mentioned, iron should be added to folic acid after the first trimester of pregnancy.

Prevention 

Eating a balanced diet, before and during pregnancy and lactation, helps prevent and prevent anemia, and helps mobilize the body’s iron stores.

The following foods contain iron: liver, meat, fish (sardines, anchovies), cabbage, kale, broccoli, legumes, whole wheat products and iron-rich foods (cereals, rice, pasta or bread). You should eat iron supplements and folic acid as recommended by your doctor. Women with anemia should continue to take the supplement for several more months, even after the hemoglobin level has returned to a normal level.

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