Anemia and Pregnancy
Iron deficiency Anemia occurs when the red blood cells in our body do not have iron in enough quantity or is deficient in iron or hemoglobin count. Iron is important as it carries oxygen to all parts of the body. The regular symptoms of anemia are tiredness and breathlessness.
Who suffer from Anemia?
Before a woman gets pregnant, the regular need of iron for the body is around 15 mg each day. But during pregnancy the need almost doubles- it becomes around 30mg per day. Intake of iron in pregnancy becomes very important to encourage the health and growth of the baby. When your body becomes deficient in hemoglobin or iron, you suffer from anemia.
What is the impact of Anemia on the Pregnant woman and the baby?
If anemia is diagnosed early and treated immediately during pregnancy, it does not pose any danger. Since the baby is in developmental stage, it needs maximum amount of iron supplies, mostly in the second trimester. Hence, the doctors advise to watch the intake of iron rich foods during pregnancy. According to many doctors, anemia can lead to pre term delivery and also low weight in the baby. It has been found that women with good iron content have low risk of oxygen deficiency during childbirth.
How to prevent Anemia during pregnancy?
Apart from increasing the intake of iron rich food, combination of protein and iron helps the most in enhancing the hemoglobin levels. Increasing animal protein also proves to be effective. Hence, if anemia is to be prevented during pregnancy, try to include animal proteins like fish, chicken and lean red meat in your diet. If you are a strict vegetarian, along with pulses consume green vegetables like fenugreek, spinach, bathua, mustard, coriander and mint. Some other iron increasing food items include soya protein, whole meal bread and flour, potatoes, iron fortified cereals, prunes, raisins and fruits like pomegranate, apricots, bananas, plumps and black grapes. Vitamin C has also been known to help your body absorb iron better. Hence drinking orange juice in good amount can also help to prevent anemia. Fizzy drinks, colas, coffee and tea reduce the chances of full absorption of iron in your body, so try to avoid them or at least cut down on their intake.
What is the treatment for Anemia?
If you are diagnosed with anemic condition during pregnancy, your doctor will advise you to make various changes in your diet so as to elevate the hemoglobin in blood. He/she may even recommend iron supplements if you have very low iron content. One of the side effects of iron supplements is constipation, so when you are advised iron supplements try to include more fiber in your diet to eliminate constipation. To add fiber you can increase the intake of raw salads like beetroot, radish, onion, carrot, tomatoes and cucumber. Lemon enriched in vitamin C too can be added to the list. Also, the presence of this vitamin will help to quickly absorb the iron in the body.
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