Pregnancy and anemiaImage Credit source: Getty Images
If you are pregnant then keep in mind that there should not be any deficiency of blood in the body. It is better if your hemoglobin is more than 9, but some women suffer from anemia. In medical language, it is called anemia. Anemia is a condition in which the amount of blood or hemoglobin level in the body becomes less than normal. Hemoglobin works to deliver oxygen to every part of the body. When it is deficient, the body feels weak.
World Health Organization (WHO) report According to , a large number of women around the world are affected by anemia, among which the percentage of pregnant women is quite high. The situation in India also remains worrying, where anemia during pregnancy is emerging as a serious health problem. This not only affects the health of the mother, but can also affect the development of the child. In many cases, this problem is not clearly visible in the beginning, due to which it is not identified on time.
In such a situation, it becomes important to know that in pregnant women anemia Why is this happening and why is a continuous increase in its cases being seen?
Why are pregnant women getting anemia?
Dr. Saloni Chadha in the Gynecology Department at RML Hospital. It is said that during pregnancy, the amount of blood in a woman’s body increases more than normal, so that the needs of both the mother and the child in the womb can be met. In such a situation, for this increased blood volume, the body needs more iron, folic acid and other nutrients. If this need is not met, a situation of anemia is created.
In many women, the level of hemoglobin is low even before pregnancy, which can fall further during pregnancy. Apart from this, frequent vomiting, nausea or inability to eat properly also increases nutritional deficiency. In some cases, not getting tested on time and late detection of anemia also makes the problem serious.
Why are cases of anemia increasing in pregnant women?
Dr. Saloni Chadha Said that many obvious reasons have emerged behind the increase in cases of anemia among pregnant women. Imbalanced eating habits, lack of iron-rich food and not taking supplements regularly are the main reasons for this. Apart from this, due to limited access to health services in rural and backward areas, timely diagnosis and treatment is not possible. Lack of awareness is also an important reason, where women ignore weakness and fatigue considering it as normal.
Repeated pregnancies at short intervals also do not give the body time to recover completely, which increases the risk of anemia. Due to all these reasons, cases of anemia among pregnant women are continuously increasing.
How to protect?
Take a balanced diet during pregnancy.
Include food containing iron, folic acid and calcium in your diet.
Take supplements regularly as prescribed by your doctor.
Get hemoglobin checked from time to time.
Eat green vegetables, pulses, fruits and dry fruits.
Do not ignore any weakness or fatigue and consult a doctor.