The occurrence of anemia during pregnancy is a common but rarely serious complication disorder. Its incidence varies widely depending on the criteria used for diagnosis.
Other anemias
Articles of interest
What it is and what causes anemia?
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Anemia is defined as decreasing the amount of the protein hemoglobin or red blood cell oxygen carrier in blood. It is considered that there is anemia during pregnancy when the amount of this blood protein is less than 11 grams per dl.
Pregnancy is a condition which predisposes to a number of changes in
the blood, mainly because it increases the amount of fluid circulating
through the blood vessels, which causes a certain dilution of the blood
and red blood cells. The most common forms of this mild anemia, are considered physiological, and therefore the untreated.
The most important and common cause of anemia during pregnancy is iron deficiency or iron deficiency anemia.
How is it manifested?
They are common symptoms such as tiredness or fatigue
, pale skin and mucous membranes of the eyes and mouth, dizziness,
difficulty breathing when moderate or large efforts are made, heart
palpitations and tachycardia, or rapid heartbeat .
Effects on the fetus
Mild or moderate anemia do not usually produce significant effects on
the fetus, but in severe anemia (hemoglobin less than 7 g / dl) the
fetus may be adversely affected and damaged. It was found that in these cases increases the percentage of abortion or preterm delivery, perinatal mortality, puerperal infections, etc.
How is it diagnosed?
The diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy is relatively
simple because after making a patient's medical history and know their
symptoms and signs, you can request a blood test that will indicate regular whether or not anemia and, if be present, if it is caused by an iron deficiency or some other cause. Usually other tests are not necessary.
How is this disorder?
Treatment of this condition is logically administration deficient mineral, in this case iron.
It is usually given as tablets or ferrous salt by drinking ampoules,
generally from anemia diagnosed until resolved along pregnancy and often
also in the postpartum period.
In any case, as we noted before, preventive measures such as proper
nutrition and additional iron supplements can prevent the onset of
anemia.
Iron deficiency anemia
The iron
is essential for the formation of hemoglobin mineral, the protein in
red blood cells that performs the function of transporting oxygen
through the blood to the various tissues of the mother and baby.
Iron needs increase during pregnancy because of the increased volume of
circulating blood, tissue formation of the baby and the placenta and
the fetus accumulates reserves. Women who do not have adequate iron stores before pregnancy need an iron supplement to avoid anemia.
A balanced diet that includes a variety of foods in a correct and
proper ratio during pregnancy does not provide generally and against
popular belief, the amounts of iron needed for gestation.
The more iron-rich foods include green leafy vegetables (spinach), red
meat (beef) and sausage (morcilla), legumes (lentils) and beef liver,
lamb or beef. They are also very rich in iron clams, mussels and cockles. It is important to note that the iron from meat is better than the content in plant absorbs.
Doctors often prescribe a prenatal vitamin and mineral supplement to
disregard the previous nutritional status and food intake of women and
because, as they increase both the needs, diet may not provide the
necessary quantities.
Administering oral iron, usually in the form of tablets or ampoules, it
is one of the most relevant for antenatal iron deficiency anemia
preventive actions. Usually it prescribed in the second half of pregnancy.
These preparations intolerance occur frequently in the stomach, nausea,
constipation and dark colored stool, you must know not to panic.
They are usually taken on an empty stomach because they are absorbed
better and, usually, we must take them for much of the pregnancy and
even after childbirth, if the situation so dictates.
As mentioned, it is the most common type of anemia during pregnancy and up to 9 out of 10 pregnant women can develop.
It is characterized, as we have seen, by a decrease in the amount of
hemoglobin in the blood that can be mild, moderate or even high.
Although the most common cause of anemia during pregnancy is iron
deficiency, other types of anemia that highlight produced by the lack of vitamin B12 and called megaloblastic anemia because red blood cells become larger than normal.
Treatment of this type of anemia is administration of vitamin B12,
which should be done intramuscularly, ie, punctured, since vitamin B12
would be destroyed in the stomach if administráramos orally.
Other types of anemia varied (as produced by folic acid deficiency ) fortunately rare and do not discuss in this article.
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