Anaemia During Pregnancy – How to Prevent

Iron deficiency in the body leads to the condition anaemia. Anaemia in pregnancy is quite common but it is actually very easy to prevent. We need iron throughout our lives, as it’s used to make haemoglobin (red blood cells) which carries oxygen around the body. But in pregnancy it is vital for the developing blood supply of the fetus. GPs monitor patients for anaemia in pregnancy so you will probably have a test quite early on in your first trimester. However, unless it is severe, anaemia in pregnancy doesn’t usually show up in the early days because when a woman’s periods stop her iron stores are quickly replenished. However as pregnancy progresses a woman’s blood volume expands significantly – in fact it increases by a third - so more iron is needed to make enough red blood cells and any iron stores are quickly depleted. Your blood will be tested for anaemia again at around 28 weeks. Anaemia can be effectively prevented by taking a daily iron supplement (in addition to any pre-natal vitamins). GPs will usually prescribe these at around the 20 weeks stage. During pregnancy it’s also a good idea to boost these iron stores in the body by eating iron-rich foods. To help with the iron absorption from food into your body you should eat vitamin C-rich foods. And to prevent your iron stores being depleted, stay away from caffeinated drinks (which hinder iron absorption). Food that is rich in iron: Small amounts of iron are found in most of the fruits, vegetables and grains and meats you eat but the following foods are higher iron-content foods and when pregnant you should try to include them in your diet regularly. Beef, duck, turkeyrnSardinesrnPotatoes baked with their skinrnSpinach, kale and other dark green vegrnSeaweedrnPumkin seedsrnOat branrnBarley, bulgar wheat and quinoarnBeans and peasrnEdamame and soy productsrnDried fruit Symptoms of anaemia Anaemia in pregnancy in its early stages may go un-noticed, but as oxygen-carrying red blood cells are further depleted an anaemic mum-to-be can become pale, weak, easily tired or breathless and might even experience fainting spells. Babies are rarely born iron deficient as they take what they need from the mother; In other words their nutritional needs are met before mum’s. Certain women are more at risk from anaemia in pregnancy. These include mums who have had several babies with little time between pregnancies, those who vomit up their food or eat poorly because of morning sickness, and those who are undernourished before getting pregnant – possibly through an eating disorder.