Anemia and Pregnancy

Pregnant women build up a degree of anemia during their pregnancy because of deficiency of Iron. The female body requires additional doses of Iron as that is required to make red blood cells in the fetus. This can also be caused due to the deficiency of folic acid. The capacity of the Blood to carry oxygen is decreased during severe anemia. Due to this, the fetus is unable to receive enough oxygen and this leads to abnormal growth and development and also affects the Brain. There is an increased risk of preterm labor due to anemia deficiency. The anemia may severe in case of a normal amount of bleeding during delivery and labor. Studies have revealed that women who suffer from anemia are more prone to development of infections post-delivery.

Iron is necessary for the production of hemoglobin in the Body and also for the production of protein in red blood cells that transmit oxygen to other cells of the female body.

It is mostly seen that during the second and third trimesters of the pregnancy. Women who suffer from morning sickness are likely to face frequent vomiting if there is little time between the pregnancies or if the pre-pregnancy menstrual flow was heavy. The amount of iron that is required during pregnancy may vary from18 to 27 mg/day.
What are the symptoms of Anemia:

Reduced mental and physical performance.
Tiredness and fatigue.
Reduced immune function of the Body.
Reduction in the peripartal blood reserves.
More need for transfusion of Blood in the postpartum period.
Pale skin, dizziness and labored breathing.

Precautions for Anemia:

Cow’s milk must not be given to the child till he attains the age of 1 year as this cause the child to lose iron from his intenstines.
Performing Blood smear examination, Iron tests, Hemoglobin electrophoresis, Reticulocyte count and Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy.
Consultation with your doctor.
How is Anemia diagnosed?

It is normally discovered through a routine blood test for hemoglobin or hematocrit levels during a prenatal examination of the Body. The diagnostic procedures can include additional blood tests and other evaluation procedures as deemed fit by the doctor.

What is the treatment for Anemia?

Some doctors suggest the use of epoetin alfa, an recombinant erythropoieti, for the stimulation of red blood cells production in cases of anemia associated with chemotherapy, any chronic or renal disease.

However, a blood transfusion may be necessary in severe case of ongoing loss of blood and anemia.

Anemia is classified by the size of red blood cells(RBCs) and this can be tested either automatically or through an microscopic examination of the peripheral blood smear. The size of Anemia deficiency is reflected in the Mean corpuscular volume (MCV). The anemia is said to be microcytic if the cells are smaller than normal, it is normocytic if they are normal-sized, and macrocytic if it is larger than normal.