Anaemia is a kind of medical condition where humans fail to produce enough healthy red blood cells so that it can carry oxygen to the other tissues present in the body. But when the tissues do not get the required amount of oxygen then functions of many organs get affected.
Anemia while pregnant is a matter of concern because it can lead to low birth weight and maternal mortality. When women are pregnant they are at the higher risk of getting anaemia because of the excess amount of blood which is produced in the body in order to provide sufficient amount of nutrients to the developing baby inside. Anaemia during the time of pregnancy can also be a mild condition which can be easily treated with medications.
There are many variants of anaemia but when one is pregnant there are a few types which become prevalent. The most prominent ones are
Iron deficiency Anaemia
It is the major cause for anaemia and one of the major one when one is pregnant. Iron is a kind of mineral which is found in red blood cells and they carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. When iron is produced in a very small amount then the body becomes fatigued quickly and it becomes less immune.
Foliate deficiency Anaemia
In this case the water soluble vitamin which can help actually prevents the neural tube defects during pregnancy. Thus folic acid is a kind of supplement taken by women during pregnancy. But one can also be on a diet of leafy vegetables, cereals, melons and legumes to treat them.
Vitamin B12 deficiency Anaemia
This is also a very important vitamin in a human body. It helps in the production of red blood cells. There can be a deficiency of this vitamin because a woman cannot produce this in their body. this can lead to anaemia.
The major cause of anaemia is because of the lack of the production of red blood cells in the human body as it has been mentioned earlier. When there is a fall in the haemoglobin level during pregnancy it can mainly happen because of the plasma expansion and increase of red cell volume. Now why this can happen in a pregnancy?
- There is a lack of iron in the pregnancy diet. This means one is not eating enough of iron rich foods and so this becomes a matter of concern.
- When one is not taking a proper iron supplement and there is not enough of iron to feed the blood supply in the growing foetus.
- Due to heavy bleeding during the menstruation or due to some blood donation where the red blood cells are destroyed faster than it can be replenished.
The symptoms of anaemia can be minor and it may go unnoticed. But when it progresses the symptoms seem to worsen.
Even if one faces anaemia after pregnancy then also one should take proper supplements. For that, one should consult a doctor.
