Iron deficiency anemia is a common disorder during pregnancy. It occurs because of the increase in blood plasma volume and the decreased ability of red blood cells to transport oxygen or iron. Iron is necessary for the production of hemoglobin, a protein present in red blood cells responsible for carrying oxygen to other cells.
This, let's call it "overwork" of red blood cells, causes a decrease in the levels of hemoglobin, albumin and water-soluble vitamins, leading to Gravidic anemia or physiological anemia of pregnancy.
90 percent of anemias that occur in pregnancy are iron deficiency anemia, that is, due to lack of iron. It is normal for there to be a decrease in iron in the red blood cells, but if the anemia worsens it can lead to serious complications in pregnancy.
The pregnant woman suffering from anemia is more likely to develop preeclampsia, some type of infection or postpartum hemorrhage, while babies are more likely to be born prematurely, to have less than normal growth and to be born with low weight.
Symptoms of anemia in the pregnant woman
Normally, anemia is detected by a blood test, but there are certain symptoms to those who should be alert if you are pregnant.
An anemic person has pale skin, lips, nails, palms or lower eyelids, feels tired, apathetic, not wanting to take care of himself or illusion about his situation, with the risk of feeling disinterest For the care of the baby.
You may suffer from fatigue, dizziness or dizziness, as well as difficulty breathing and fast heartbeat. They are somewhat confusing symptoms, which can well be understood as a sign of stress, so if you feel identified with the symptoms you should tell your doctor to confirm it by a blood test.
Iron supplement, yes or no?
In the blood tests that will be performed in prenatal check-ups every trimester, the mother's anemia status is controlled. Hemoglobin, concentration of this protein in the blood and hematocrit, percentage of the total volume of blood composed of red blood cells is measured.
When the hemoglobin concentration falls below 11 g / dl an iron supplement is considered to be given to complement the pregnant woman's diet, although opinions about it are varied.
The mother's blood volume increases and a phenomenon known as physiological hemodilution, that is to say that the blood is more diluted, which decreases the value of the hematocrit from 3 to 5 units. Naturally, hemoglobin levels decrease although in reality what happens is that you have more hemoglobin than before becoming pregnant but in a lower concentration.
Therefore, there are those who consider that an iron supplement is not necessary, that it is enough to have a varied diet including foods that provide iron and that it is also not recommended because it increases the risk of premature and low birth weight.
Anemia and multiple pregnancies
The increase in blood plasma volume of the pregnant mother of a single baby is 50 percent. With two or more babies, the blood volume is even higher. 75 percent higher in twins and almost 90 percent in triplets, so the risk of getting anemia also increases notably.
Keep anemia at bay
To prevent anemia it is recommended to have a varied diet that includes foods rich in iron to ensure that the body has the necessary iron stores to provide enough oxygen for the baby.
Among the foods that provide iron are fish and shellfish, green leafy vegetables, meats, dairy and nuts. It is also advised to increase the consumption of foods rich in vitamin C, which facilitate the absorption of iron, and avoid the consumption of foods that inhibit absorption such as coffee, tea and carbonated beverages.
During pregnancy a dose of 30 mg daily iron, which represents more than 30% of the usually indicated dose.
