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| Anemia in pregnant women |
Anemia in pregnant women: symptoms, treatment and possible consequences
The outline of the article:
What is anemia and how does it occur?
Why do pregnant women get anemia?
Pregnant anemia: what happens?
Symptomatology
Iron deficiency in the body: is it so dangerous for pregnant women?
Diagnostics
Treatment
Prevention
Every second pregnant woman suffers from anemia. In 90% of cases, iron deficiency during pregnancy can be attributed to the physiological state, but this phenomenon cannot be called the norm. On the contrary, when identifying a pathology, you should take it very seriously, since ignoring it can cause serious consequences. Which ones? Let's talk further.
What is anemia and how does it occur?
Translated from ancient Greek anemia - "anemia". This is a rather dangerous condition, which manifests itself as a decrease in hemoglobin levels in the blood. The latter provides a transport function - carries oxygen throughout the body and ensures its normal functioning.
Many women who first encountered a similar problem during pregnancy are interested in a very logical question: how, why and what causes a lack of iron in the body?
During all 9 months of pregnancy, the needs of the weaker sex in the gland are rapidly increasing.
A non-pregnant woman should consume about 2-2.5 mg of iron daily. Pregnant in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy - up to 6 mg.
Scientists have long established that a healthy woman’s body can absorb up to 3 mg of iron daily. From this we can conclude that during periods of gestation, it is almost impossible to avoid anemia of pregnant women. Only a few women manage to survive pregnancy without this difficult diagnosis and appropriate therapy.
Pregnant Anemia
In recent years, the number of cases of iron deficiency during pregnancy has increased. The blame for the deterioration of the environment, as well as a large number of other root causes of the occurrence and development of anemia in pregnant women.
Why do pregnant women get anemia?
There are many different reasons against which a deficiency of iron may occur in the body of a pregnant woman. The most common ones are:
chronic diseases, in particular those that occur against the background of frequent stomach or intestinal bleeding;
gynecological diseases, which are characterized by profuse uterine bleeding or too profuse (prolonged) periods;
frequent births, numerous miscarriages in history, complicated previous births with massive loss of blood, causing iron deficiency;
eating disorders (inadequate intake of foods rich in iron, mainly meat);
exacerbation of various chronic ailments, especially in late pregnancy;
hypotension (excessively low blood pressure);
parturient women under the age of seventeen and over thirty;
multiple pregnancy and other complications arising during pregnancy.
Not always the lack of iron in the body is caused by the above reasons. Sometimes a woman consumes a sufficient amount of this element, however, due to certain violations in the work of the digestive tract, it is not fully absorbed.
In this case, trying to combat iron deficiency by increasing the daily consumption is pointless. Initially, the work of internal organs should be adjusted and only after that attempts should be made to restore the level of hemoglobin in the blood.
Pregnant anemia: what happens?
For a healthy non-pregnant woman, a hemoglobin level of 120 g / l is considered normal. For women in position, this norm is reduced by 10 g / l to 110 g / l. Depending on the severity, there are three degrees of severity of iron deficiency:
mild - hemoglobin level from 110 to 91 g / l;
average - from 90 to 71 g / l;
heavy - below 70 g / l.
With a slight drop in hemoglobin against the background of a mild degree of iron deficiency, the woman herself hardly feels these changes in the body. Despite the almost asymptomatic course, timely diagnosis and special treatment are important already at this stage to prevent the transition of anemia to a more severe form with all the ensuing consequences.
With a deficiency of moderate iron, the pregnant woman begins to notice the first symptoms of the pathology, as the shortage becomes more significant. Anemia of this degree already poses a real threat to the pregnant woman and the fetus. Therefore, when the first symptoms and suspicions appear, the doctor should be informed about this.
The most dangerous is a severe form of iron deficiency. It requires emergency medical attention and special inpatient treatment.
As for the main types of anemia in pregnant women, it can be:
iron deficiency;
aplastic;
hemolytic.
Almost 90% of pregnant women who are diagnosed with anemia have an iron deficiency appearance. It is characterized by a decrease in hemoglobin in the blood, a violation of the so-called "respiratory" function of the latter.
Symptomatology
As was noted, at the initial stage, pregnancy anemia does not reveal itself in any way and in 90% of cases it is detected only during the delivery of a general blood test when registering or during subsequent laboratory tests.
With moderate anemia, a woman may notice the first unpleasant symptoms. The main ones are:
frequent dizziness with possible loss of consciousness;
weakness, severe fatigue after elementary physical activity;
frequent migraines;
pale skin of the face, hands, chest;
tachycardia, shortness of breath at the slightest exertion, hypotension;
cosmetic problems - increased dryness of the skin in the corners of the mouth, excessive hair loss, increased fragility of nails (due to the lack of the same iron);
sudden mood swings, increased nervousness;
insomnia;
disturbances in the work of the digestive tract and liver;
weakening of immunity (resulting in frequent colds and exacerbation of chronic ailments).
Iron deficiency in the body: is it so dangerous for pregnant women?
Deficiency of only one vital microelement in the pregnant woman’s body, called iron, can lead to irreversible consequences, have a significant effect on the fetus and future mother.
Iron deficiency during pregnancy
The most common consequences of reduced hemoglobin in pregnant women are:
The development of oxygen starvation in the fetus, followed by a violation of the development processes, the formation of all kinds of defects. In the most severe cases, the child may die before birth, during the period of fetal development.
Gestosis in late pregnancy.
Detachment of the placenta or its incorrect formation.
Premature birth.
Heavy bleeding during childbirth.
Weak labor.
Lactation problems after delivery.
Anemia in pregnant women is not a harmless phenomenon, but a very dangerous disease that should be diagnosed and treated in time in an appropriate manner, strictly observing all the doctor's recommendations.
Diagnostics
A good diagnosis of iron deficiency during pregnancy is extremely important, as it allows you to take adequate measures in a timely manner and avoid many problems.
In most cases, a comprehensive diagnosis of pregnant anemia includes:
History taking. During the conversation, the doctor asks the patient about the presence of:
diseases of the digestive tract;
gynecological pathologies occurring against a background of profuse uterine bleeding;
nosebleeds;
chronic infectious diseases.
Laboratory research methods. You can determine the presence of anemia in pregnant women by the results of a laboratory test - a general or biochemical blood test.
Not in all cases, lowered hemoglobin is evidence of anemia, since in the 1st and 2nd trimesters its insignificant drop is considered to be a physiological norm.
Anemia is diagnosed as pregnant if in the first trimester the analysis showed hemoglobin below 110 g / l, in the second trimester - when the same hemoglobin falls below the level of 105 g / l.
To confirm anemia, auxiliary research methods can be used:
study of the volume of circulating blood in the body of a woman;
the level of serum iron in the blood;
red blood cell count;
volumes of circulating plasma.
It is important to note that the quality and reliability of diagnosis using laboratory methods for blood testing is largely determined by the type of diagnostic technique, as well as compliance with the rules for taking material for analysis.
So, the results of the analysis may be unreliable if:
during the period of blood donation, the woman took iron preparations in any form (it is important to take tests before starting therapy and no earlier than a week after the end of treatment);
a blood transfusion was performed;
storage rules for research materials were violated;
the basic rules for blood sampling were violated (the latter is important to take early in the morning, since it is during this period that the level of hemoglobin in the blood is the highest).
In the normal course of pregnancy, a general blood test should be taken at least 1 time per month, a blood test for biochemistry - 1 time per trimester.
Treatment
In most cases, when diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia, a woman is prescribed not only a special diet and diet, but also special medications.
Drug therapy
With iron deficiency in the body, a woman is most often recommended to take iron preparations in tablet form. The most common of them are Ferroplex, Actiferrin, iron sulfate.
Treatment should be started immediately after a deficiency of iron in the body has been identified, and continued for at least several months.
In most cases, hemoglobin begins to grow on the background of appropriate therapy within 2-3 weeks after the start of treatment.
If violations are detected in the process of iron absorption, then a pregnant woman may be recommended to take auxiliary drugs that normalize absorption processes.
An important role in the process of assimilation of iron is played by the intake of ascorbic and folic acids. It is these substances that at times increase the effectiveness of iron deficiency anemia therapy.
It is recommended to drink iron preparations with citrus juices for better absorption.
A popular drug for doctors is Ferro-Folgamma. It includes not only iron sulfate, but also the acids mentioned above. Most often, the drug is prescribed for oral administration in the form of tablets. With poor tolerance and severe forms of anemia - in the form of injections.
Any drugs for pregnant anemia are prescribed individually. Even after the hemoglobin level has stabilized, treatment should be continued, since the normal results of laboratory tests are far from always evidence of a complete replenishment of the iron deficiency in the body of a future mother.
Drug therapy
Against the background of normalizing the level of hemoglobin, the attending physician adjusts the dose of the drug taken, reducing it by about 2 times. Subsequently, the woman continues to take iron supplements already with a preventive purpose.
Diet
It is proper and balanced nutrition that plays an important role in the process of combating iron deficiency in the body.
Experts note that for the successful treatment of this disease, it is important to eliminate all the root causes of anemia. First of all, it is advisable to abandon those products that can disrupt the body's absorption of iron. It is about:
milk;
coffee and teas;
Red wine;
soy in any form;
bran;
cereals.
At the same time, to reduce iron deficiency, it is important to enrich the diet:
meat (best if the pregnant woman will eat turkey, rabbit, veal, chicken, lamb or beef);
egg yolk (at least 1 egg should be eaten daily);
dairy products, cottage cheese.
An impressive amount of iron is also found in foods such as apples, buckwheat, blackcurrant, and some varieties of fish.
The nutrition of every pregnant woman should be full and varied, because during the gestation of the child the body and diet of the mother is a source of nutrition for her unborn baby.
During pregnancy, it is important to consume not only iron in sufficient quantities, but also other vital elements - calcium, protein, magnesium, etc.
Prevention
Anemia, like any other disease, is easier to prevent than to treat in the future, and to deal with its consequences.
In order not to hear from the doctor a disappointing diagnosis, and never to experience all the "charms" of low hemoglobin in the blood, it is important:
prepare for pregnancy (planning allows you to prevent an unwanted pregnancy, as well as timely get rid of many gynecological diseases, which in the future can cause iron deficiency);
timely register for pregnancy (up to 12 weeks, ideally at 6-8 weeks);
regularly undergo scheduled examinations and visit a gynecologist;
during pregnancy, do not ignore the doctor’s recommendations and take special vitamin and mineral complexes for women in position;
with a decrease in hemoglobin, strictly observe all the prescriptions and appointments of the attending physician;
balance nutrition (constantly include iron-rich foods — eggs, meat, liver, etc., consume large amounts of fresh vegetables and fruits, limiting fat intake).
As you can see, pregnant anemia is not a harmless temporary phenomenon, but a serious disease that requires timely diagnosis and adequate treatment. Only with a timely response to a decrease in hemoglobin in the blood, unpleasant problems and consequences can be avoided for both the pregnant woman and her unborn baby.