Pregnant women are at risk of anemia. You have anemia because your body doesn’t have healthy red blood cells to supply oxygen to your tissues and your developing baby. The extra blood produced during pregnancy is vital to the health of your developing baby. The additional blood you produce throughout pregnancy is vital to the health of your developing baby. While going through this you should know more about low hemoglobin in pregnancy. 

However, if you aren’t getting enough iron or other vital nutrients, your body may not be able to produce enough red blood cells to make enough new blood to cover the transfusion. Slight anemia is common throughout pregnancy. A lack of iron, vitamins or other nutrients may lead to mild anemia, but more severe forms of the condition are possible. Having anemia may drain your energy and leave you feeling frail. If left untreated, it may worsen to the point where it increases the likelihood of serious complications, such as early delivery.

Here, we’ll go through the symptoms, causes, and therapies for anemia in pregnancy.

Types of Low Hemoglobin in Pregnancy :

Pregnancy may cause several different anemias. These consist of:

Iron deficiency anemia in Pregnancy

This kind of anemia develops when the body doesn’t have enough iron to make enough hemoglobin. The blood cannot transport enough oxygen to bodily tissues when there is iron-deficient anemia. An iron shortage most often causes anemia in pregnancy.

Folate-deficient anemia in Pregnancy

The vitamin folate is a kind of B vitamin naturally present in certain meals, such as green leafy vegetables. The body requires folate to form new cells, including healthy red blood cells. Women need more folate while they are pregnant. However, occasionally their nutrition is insufficient. When that occurs, the body cannot produce enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to all body tissues. Folic acid is a synthetic form of vitamin folate. Low birth weight and neural tube abnormalities (spina bifida) are two congenital disabilities that a folate deficit may directly cause.

Vitamin B12 deficiency in Pregnancy

Lack of adequate vitamin B12 in the diet prevents a pregnant woman’s body from producing enough healthy red blood cells. Women who don’t eat much (or any) red meat, poultry, dairy, or eggs may be at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency. This condition may increase the risk of birth problems such as malformed neural tubes and premature labor. Anemia may also result from blood loss during and after birth.

How to treat anemia/ low hemoglobin in pregnancy

In addition to your prenatal vitamins, you may need to start taking an iron and folic acid supplement if you are anemic throughout your pregnancy. Additionally, your doctor could advise you to increase the number of foods in your diet that are rich in folic acid and iron. Additionally, your doctor will request that you return for another blood test after a certain time so they can monitor your progress regarding your hemoglobin and hematocrit levels. Your doctor could advise you to take a vitamin B12 supplement to address vitamin B12 deficiency.

Additionally, the physician could advise you to eat more animal products, such as:

• meat
• eggs
• dairy ingredients

Your OB could suggest a hematologist or a medical professional focusing on anemia and blood disorders. While pregnant, the expert could visit you and assist your OB in controlling the anemia.

Prevention of low hemoglobin in Pregnancy

Be careful to obtain a sufficient amount of iron when you are pregnant to avoid developing anemia. Consume meals that are well-balanced and increase your consumption of foods that are rich in iron.

To get enough iron, you should eat meals like:

• lean beef, white meat, and a variety of fish
• leafy, dark green veggies (such as spinach, broccoli, and kale)
• Tofu, beans, and lentils make up this vegetarian option.
• The nut and seed supply
• eggs

Consuming foods rich in vitamin C will assist your body in better absorbing iron from the foods you eat. These are the following:

• citrus fruits and juices
• strawberries
• kiwis
• tomatoes
• bell peppers

Try consuming such items at the same time as you consume foods that are high in iron. For instance, you may start the day with a glass of orange juice and some iron-fortified cereal for breakfast.

In addition, choosing meals rich in folate is important if you want to avoid developing a folate deficit. These are the following:

• leafy green veggies
• citrus fruits and juices
• dried beans
• cereals and bread that have had folic acid added to them

To ensure that you get the proper amount of iron and folic acid throughout pregnancy, it is important to take a prenatal vitamin as directed by your doctor.

When pregnant or lactating, vegetarians and vegans who don’t eat any animal products should discuss the possibility of taking a vitamin B12 supplement with their primary care physician.

Final Help!

Hematology BMT specialists is your one stop for solving pregnancy problems caused by low hemoglobin in pregnancy. Get in touch with a specialist and schedule an appointment with a Dr. S. K. Gupta.