8 out of 10 women suffer from anaemia in their lifetime. However, in a condition as critical as pregnancy,even a small ailment becomes a matter of concern. Maternal anaemia is the anaemia during pregnancy. However, pregnant women are at a higher risk of anaemia. There are many reasons related to it. An anaemic condition is characterised by the lack of red blood cells that carry oxygen to the tissues in the body. The physiology of the pregnant women produces excess blood in the body. Nevertheless, anaemia can be treated with early detection. You can consult a specialist for fetal medicine in case of maternal anaemia. They deal with high risk pregnancies. An untreated condition of anaemia can result in a high-risk pregnancy.
What causes Anaemia during Pregnancy?
The condition where, the body is unable to carry oxygen to low haemoglobin content in the blood. It is quite a common condition in pregnancy. Some of the causes of maternal anaemia
- Lack of iron in the body results in the inability to carry oxygen that can lead to the anaemic condition.
- The condition of pregnancy itself can be a cause for the condition. The increased intake of iron for providing the baby and the mother’s body can result in the shortage of iron in the body.
Types of Maternal Anaemia
There are many anaemic conditions occurring in women and especially pregnant women. However, some common anaemia are:
Iron deficient Anaemia
When the body lacks iron content, it naturally and directly leads to anaemia.
Foliate-deficient Anaemia
The folic acid is one of the most important supplements during pregnancy. It prevents the fetus from neural tube defects. Lack in foliate content can decrease the reed blood cells and therefore the iron.
Vitamin B12 Anaemia
It is also one of the most common causes of anaemia. It leads to the reduced count of red blood cells.
What are the symptoms of Maternal Anaemia?
Although some of symptoms might be mild, but you should every little change and difficulty during pregnancy and report to the doctor.In case you are facing any of the symptoms, you must consult the best specialist for fetal medicine in your region.
- Feebleness or fatigue
- Faintness
- Difficulty to breathe
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat
- Pain in the chest
- Pale skin, lips, and nails
- Cold hands and feet
- Trouble concentrating and focusing
Treatment for Maternal Anaemia
The specialists treat the anaemias by vitamin or iron supplements in early and mild phase. In some of the extreme cases, the doctors proceed with a blood transfusion. Therefore, it is very necessary to detect the anaemia in the early stage as it is easily treatable. You can also consult the specialist for fetal medicine during your pregnancy to ask abut the preventive methods at home for refraining from such conditions.