Pregnancy And Baby Care Conditions During Pregnancy Anaemia During Pregnancy

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...and would need to be treated in order for the child to be healthier.

Anemia in pregnant women is caused by an iron deficiency during pregnancy. This is a lack of sufficient iron in the blood and will affect almost 20% of all pregnant women. During a pregnancy, the body draws a very fine line between the production of blood cells that carry the oxygen to the baby and the rest of the body. Anemia develops when the red blood cells that carry the oxygen to both your baby and the rest of our body is significantly low. Over the period of the pregnancy, however, the number of these red blood cells will continue to increase and return you to a better state of health.

In most cases, a pregnant woman will be unaware of the fact that she is anemic and most doctors will conduct a second health check after a period of about 28 days before they can be sure that the condition is anemia related. The more common symptoms of the condition include dizziness, fainting, a fast or irregular heartbeat as well as a noticeable shortness of breath.

What to eat in Anaemia During Pregnancy

Your diet is going to be the main source of treatment when tackling anemia. Increase your intake of foods that contain iron such as red meat, liver, iron enriched bread and pastas, dried beans or tofu or even dry fruits such as raisins, prunes and apricots. It is beneficial to consume high iron meats rather than vegetables as studies have shown that your body is able to absorb about 20% to 40% of iron content in meat against the much lower proportion of 5% to 20% from iron rich vegetables. You must also keep in mind that the body’s capacity to absorb iron depends a lot on its vitamin C content as well. Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables high in Viatmin C to achieve this. You can discuss your diet with either your doctor a dietitian to ensure that you are on the right track with regards to your new diet.