Anemia happens to be a common complaint among pregnant ladies these days. With irregular diet and drastic lifestyle changes, the body starts losing out on essential nutrients like iron which can lead to anemia. And even though mild anemia during pregnancy is not something that you necessarily need to worry about, it could become a cause for concern if left untreated.
Anemia and Pregnancy
It is a known fact that a pregnant woman needs to fend for herself and the baby inside her. Her body would usually require more blood to carry oxygen and other vital nutrients to the fetus. Lack of certain nutrients like iron can lead to a decrease in the number of red blood cells in the body. And this could prevent the fetus from receiving the nutrients it needs for healthy growth.
Who is More at Risk of Getting Anemia?
Almost all pregnant women would get anemia at some point of time in their pregnancy. This would usually occur when the body signals the need for extra iron, folic acid and other vitamins. However, certain conditions can increase the chances of a pregnant woman contracting severe anemia. These include multiple pregnancies, less time gap between consecutive pregnancies, lack of iron in the diet, heavy periods before pregnancy, severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy and teen pregnancy.
Risks Associated with Anemia in Pregnant Women
Even low to mild cases of anemia can make the body weak and tired. In the case of severe anemia, the repercussions could be drastic. Some of the more serious effects of anemia in pregnant women include preterm delivery, low birth weight of the infant, post partum depression, birth defects like neural tube and spinal cord issues, and heavy blood loss.
Symptoms you Need to be Aware of
In certain cases, a pregnant woman may not know about her anemic condition until the symptoms start worsening. And even though the symptoms of anemia are hard to diagnose at first and can be easily mistaken for some other disorder, there are certain signs that can alert you of an impending anemic condition.
Accordingly, some of the most common symptoms of anemia in pregnant women would include weakness, exhaustion, dizziness, breathlessness, heart palpitations, concentration troubles, disorientation, pale colored skin, nails and lips, severe headaches, chest pain (usually a condition called angina), and sudden chills that develop on the hands and feet.
As mentioned earlier, it would be easy for a pregnant woman to mistake these symptoms for other conditions normally associated with pregnancy. Usually a blood test taken during the first week and the end of the second trimester would check for the hemoglobin count and raise an alarm if the count drops below 6g. In case your RBC blood count is low, the medical practitioner would start you on selective diets that contain rich amounts of iron. He/she would also probably prescribe iron supplements or iron replacement shots that need to be taken regularly.
On the contrary, if the anemia is due to a medical condition that is not related to the levels of iron in the body, your doctor would most probably treat the underlying condition first before prescribing iron supplements or iron replacement shots.
