Anemia in pregnancy - a condition in which reduced levels of red blood cells and hemoglobin in the blood. The woman observed dizziness, weakness, pain in the heart, fatigue, affects the mucous membranes. Treatment is carried out with iron IDA means, cyanocobalamin, folic acid.
What causes
Anemia in pregnant women appear due to lack of iron in the body. It is involved in many physiological processes. This trace mineral helps red blood cells to bind and deliver oxygen authorities. Iron in the red blood cells are not removed from the body and transferrin is captured and entered into the bone marrow after their destruction. There it is again beginning to be used for the formation of new red blood cells.
A small amount of iron goes along with feces, urine and menstrual blood. If the trace element concentration does not exceed its daily losses, after a while develops Iron-deficiency anemia. Every day in women occurs physiological iron loss in the amount of 2 mg. In pregnancy, this figure is 3-4 mg per day, because some of the trace element enters the body of the fetus.
Iron, which comes from food, does not cover the loss. This process is characteristic of the third trimester, so the disease symptoms are often observed in this period.
Factors contributing to the development of anemia:
- increasing the concentration of red blood cells;
- iron transfer to the fetus;
- shift a small amount of the trace element in the placenta tissue;
- bleeding during childbirth.
In addition, the causes of anemia during pregnancy include the underlying disease: gastritis, peptic ulcer, diabetes, rheumatism.
Kinds
There are several types of anemia:
- iron;
- folic acid;
- Vitamin B 12 deficiency;
- hereditary hemolytic;
- sickle cell;
- hemorrhagic;
- Aplastic.
Basically during pregnancy reveal iron deficiency anemia. Her qualify severity. Most often, there is mild anemia in pregnancy.
What are the symptoms
Signs of anemia during pregnancy include:
- Fatigue and weakness. Since the disease is manifested in the very beginning of its development. This happens because of lack of oxygen to tissues and organs.
- Dyspnea. It develops from a lack of oxygen in the blood, which contributes to the respiratory center. This leads to an increase in the depth and frequency of breathing. Such a sign of anemia in pregnant women is the result of increasing the size of the fetus, which begins to compress the diaphragm.
- Heart palpitations. There is also due to oxygen starvation.
- Paleness of the skin. The pink color of the skin and mucous membranes associated with the content of red blood cells in the capillaries. Anemia concentration decreases and the skin becomes pale hue.
- Frequent dizziness. Nervous tissue is sensitive to an insufficient amount of oxygen, which is manifested dizziness. This may join and other symptoms: headache, ringing in the ears, darkening of the eyes, loss of consciousness.
In addition to the other symptoms of anemia during pregnancy include:
- Strongly expressed by muscle weakness. Anemia in pregnant women violates the processes of restoration and renovation of muscle tissue. There is a decrease in muscle weakness and muscle size.
- Damage to the skin. Due to lack of trace element the skin and mucous membranes updated not so hard. They become drier and not as elastic, the skin cracks.
- Hair loss. Iron deficiency violates the process of hair growth. They begin to break down, become thin, lose their luster.
- nail damage. Nails in pregnant women become thinner, become brittle, acquiring a matte finish. Strong iron shortage contributes to the appearance of transverse stripes nail edge curved in the opposite direction.
- Frequent infections. Iron deficiency weakens the immune system. During pregnancy inhibits the activity of the immune system, due to which increases susceptibility to bacterial and viral diseases.
- Indigestion. Lack microelement leads to disruption of the process of updating the gastrointestinal mucosa. Food starts poorly digested, resulting in nausea, heartburn, heaviness in the stomach, constipation or diarrhea develops. In pregnancy, the growing fetus compressed abdominal organs (intestines, stomach), disrupting the process of moving food mass through the digestive tract.
- Damage to the oral mucosa. Due microelement deficiency mucous tongue, lips and mouth becomes thinner, which is manifested taste perversion or disorder of taste perception. During pregnancy, women with anemia have difficulty swallowing food.
degrees
Iron deficiency anemia has 3 degrees of severity.
- first - hemoglobin level is 91-110 g / l;
- second - Hemoglobin concentration is at around 71-90 g / l;
- third - the heaviest, hemoglobin less than 70 g / l.
Anemia 1 degree during pregnancy is diagnosed more often. Internal organs absorb only a minimal amount of trace elements, although they require a lot more. Mild anemia It has virtually no symptoms and are diagnosed only during blood tests. In order not to have developed complications or any dangerous consequences for the child, the first degree of the disease, be sure to treat.
In step 2 iron concentration decreases strongly. Anemia woman delivers significant discomfort, which negatively affects the developing baby's health. A pregnant start cracking corners of the mouth, the hair is made dry and brittle nails lose their elasticity and firmness.
The last step of treating anemia in a hospital environment. Severe disease stage capable of causing irreparable harm to the fetus. Chances of premature birth or stillbirth.
Diagnostics
Anemia in pregnant women is diagnosed easily. Most often the disease is iron, so an accurate diagnosis helps laboratory tests:
- General blood analysis. Anemia hemoglobin level will be less than 110 g / l. Color index decreases to 0.85, and the number of erythrocytes - 3,5h1012 cells / liter. Discover microcytosis, ie reduction in red blood cell size.
- A study of iron metabolism. Serum iron concentration decreases to 12 mol / l. It decreases the amount of ferritin and transferrin.
To eliminate B 12 and folic acid-deficient variants of anemia in pregnancy, pass serum folate and cyanocobalamin. Given the possible complications of the fetus, its condition is determined with the dynamics of conducting phonocardiography, CTG, fetometry.
How to treat
The doctor prescribes the treatment of anemia in pregnancy, taking into account the type and severity of disease. Most often prescribe vitamin complexes and iron supplements. Also, pregnant women should follow a diet.
vitamins
Vitamins are important in iron deficiency. Used for the treatment of anemia:
- Vitamin C. It is a natural antioxidant, which allows the body to absorb ferrous iron. Contained it in bell peppers, baked potatoes, citrus fruits, black currants, cabbage.
- Vitamin E. Placenta protects against the negative influence of internal and external factors. It is found in peas, spinach, parsley, green salad, tomatoes, rose hips, vegetable oils.
- Vitamin B9. It is found in nuts, liver, yeast, honey.
- Vitamin B6. Stimulates metabolism, it helps to absorb protein from food, needed for the synthesis of hemoglobin. Is contained in meats, nuts, fish, legumes.
- Vitamin B12. Because of its lack of anemia. It is located in the yeast, milk, fish and meat.
In addition, the treatment of anemia in pregnant women hold special vitamin complexes. They contain all the necessary set, which is required for the prevention of complications.
iron supplements
If diagnosed with anemia during pregnancy, the treatment is carried out under the supervision of a physician. Specialist assigns medicines containing iron. They help restore the required level of this trace element in the body. Such medicaments are used in the form of tablets or intramuscularly administered, as well as with a dropper.
To cure anemia, prescribe effective medication following:
- Ferrokal - up for iron deficiency, which enables us to strengthen the process of formation of red blood cells in the bone marrow.
- Ferropleks - consists of iron and ascorbic acid. The latter contributes to enhanced absorption of trace elements in the gut.
- Konferon - components included in its composition, improve iron absorption in the intestine.
- Ferrum Lek - used intravenously and intramuscularly, if there is no possibility of receiving micronutrient inside.
Capsules and tablets is recommended to be swallowed whole. The effect is observed after 3-4 weeks of treatment.
What to eat for anemia in pregnancy
Diet for anemia in pregnant women is a basic therapeutic activities. Its task - the saturation of the woman's body the required amount of easily digestible iron through food. During pregnancy, the daily rate of the trace element is 30-35 mg. But not all foods rich in iron, anemia is well absorbed by the body.
In the intestine, absorbed 40% of the trace element contained in meat products and only 10% - which is a part of plant food. Therefore nutrition with anemia pregnant women should consist mainly of animal products.
It is recommended to eat the following foods for anemia:
- chicken, beef, beef tongue, liver;
- fish - a humpback salmon, mackerel;
- caviar of sturgeon species;
- honey dark varieties;
- chicken eggs;
- pasta;
- fennel, lettuce, parsley, spinach;
- gooseberries, strawberries, cherries, watermelon, peaches, plums, apples, persimmons;
- carrots, cabbage, beets, tomatoes;
- porridge from barley, rice, buckwheat.
The following products do not allow the iron absorbed, so they are excluded from the diet:
- margarine;
- dietary fat, beef and mutton fat varieties;
- fatty sausages.
The dangerous
Anemia of pregnancy is dangerous both for the woman and the fetus. The disease often leads to various complications.
For a child
If anemia is the mother, then the disease can negatively affect the health of the child. Perinatal morbidity increases to 100%, and the onset of death is observed in 12-13%. Due to placental insufficiency in 60% of cases of fetal hypoxia occurs in 50% of the oxygen deficiency suffering brain in 30% of cases of delay.
One-third of infants born with asphyxia. Lack of folic acid and vitamin B12 is fraught with anomalies of the nervous system and spine. Children whose mothers during pregnancy suffered from a severe form of anemia experiencing breathing problems. In addition, they lag behind their peers in weight and height, often suffer from infectious diseases. Thus, if developed anemia during pregnancy, the consequences for the child can be fatal.
for mother
Extremely unfavorable is anemia, which developed prior to conception. In this case, she faces a primary placental insufficiency, low-lying placenta previa it, hypoplasia of the fetal membranes, non-developing pregnancy, early miscarriage. In the event of iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women in the second and third trimester increases the risk of complications of preeclampsia, a late miscarriage, placental abruption, preterm delivery.
If the disease is in a severe form, it is often a myocardial, deterioration of the heart muscle occurs. At birth in 10% of pregnant women there are weak contractions and appears profuse bleeding. After birth, 15% of postpartum women and 40% of newborns develop purulent-septic processes. Half of the nursing mothers appears hypogalactia.
