Iron deficiency anemia.This anemia occurs when the body's iron is not enough to produce enough hemoglobin. That is the protein in red blood cells. It transports oxygen from the lungs to other parts of the body. In iron deficiency anemia, the blood cannot bring enough oxygen to the tissues of the entire body. Iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia in pregnancy.

Folic acid deficiency anemia.

Folic acid is a vitamin naturally present in certain foods, such as green leafy vegetables B vitamins. The human body needs folic acid to produce new cells, including healthy red blood cells.

During pregnancy, women need extra folic acid. But sometimes their dietary intake is insufficient. When this happens, the human body cannot produce enough normal red blood cells to transport oxygen to the entire body's tissues. The artificially supplemented folic acid is called folic acid. Folic acid deficiency can directly lead to certain types of birth defects, such as neural tube defects (spina bifida) and low birth weight.

维生素B12缺乏症。

The human body needs vitamin B12 to form healthy red blood cells. If a pregnant woman does not get enough vitamin B12 from her diet, her body will not be able to produce enough healthy red blood cells. Women who do not eat meat, poultry, dairy products and eggs are at greater risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, which can lead to birth defects, such as neural tube defects, and may lead to premature delivery.

Blood loss during and after childbirth can also cause anemia.

 

 

All pregnant women are at risk of anemia. That's because they need more iron and folic acid than usual. However, if you have the following symptoms, the risk of anemia is higher:

● Multiple pregnancy

● The two pregnancies are very close

● Severe morning sickness

● Pregnancy during adolescence

● Insufficient intake of iron-containing foods

● Suffered from anemia before pregnancy

The most common symptoms of anemia during pregnancy are:

● Pale skin, lips and nails

● Tiredness or weakness

● Dizziness

● Shortness of breath

● Palpitations

● Distracted

In the early stages of anemia, you may have no obvious symptoms. And many symptoms may appear during pregnancy even if you do not have anemia. Therefore, routine blood tests must be performed during prenatal check-ups to check for anemia.

 

 

Severe or untreated iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy can increase your risk of:

● Premature or low birth weight infant

● Postpartum depression

● Anemic baby

● A child who is stunted

Untreated folate deficiency increases your risk of:

● Premature or low birth weight infant

● Babies with severe congenital defects in the spine or brain (neural tube defects)

Untreated vitamin B12 deficiency may also increase your baby's risk of neural tube defects.

● During the first check-up, you will have a blood test so that the doctor can check if you have anemia. Blood tests usually include:

● Hemoglobin. It can measure the content of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein in red blood cells that can transport oxygen from the lungs to human tissues.

● Hematocrit. It measures the percentage of red blood cells in a blood sample.

● If your hemoglobin or hematocrit is lower than normal, you may have iron deficiency anemia. Your doctor may check other blood tests like folic acid tests to determine if you have iron deficiency or folic acid and other causes of anemia.

● Even if you do not have anemia in the early stages of pregnancy, your doctor will most likely recommend another blood test in the middle and late stages of pregnancy to determine if you have anemia.

If you have anemia during pregnancy, in addition to vitamins, you may need to start taking iron and/or folic acid supplements. Your doctor may also recommend that you add more iron and folic acid-rich foods to your diet.

In addition, after a certain period of time, the system will ask you to perform blood tests again so that the doctor can check whether your hemoglobin and hematocrit levels have improved.

To treat vitamin B12 deficiency, your doctor may recommend that you take vitamin B12 supplements.

The doctor may also recommend that you add more animal foods to your diet, such as:

● Meat

● Egg

● Dairy products

Your obstetrician may refer you to a hematologist who specializes in anemia. A specialist may meet with you throughout pregnancy and help your obstetrician deal with anemia.

To prevent anemia during pregnancy, make sure you get enough iron. Eat a balanced diet and add foods high in iron to your diet.

Eat at least three iron-rich foods a day, such as:

● Lean red meat, poultry and fish

● Green leaves, dark green vegetables (such as spinach, broccoli and purple cabbage)

● Iron-rich grains

● Beans or their products Nuts

● Egg

Foods high in vitamin C can help your body absorb more iron. These include:

● Citrus fruits and juices

● Strawberry

● Kiwi

● Tomato

● Bell pepper

Try to eat the above foods at the same time as eating iron-rich foods. For example, you can drink a glass of orange juice and then eat iron-fortified cereals for breakfast.

In addition, choose foods high in folic acid to prevent folic acid deficiency. These include:

● Green leafy vegetables

● Citrus fruits and juices

● Dried beans

● Whole wheat bread

Follow your doctor's instructions to take a multivitamin that contains enough iron and folic acid.

Vegetarians should discuss with their doctor whether to supplement vitamin B12 during pregnancy and breastfeeding.