Anemia during pregnancy is characterized by a low level of hemoglobin in the blood and a small number of red blood cells, the forms of which can become abnormally changed. Anemia in pregnant women is most often diagnosed by the end of the second trimester. The discovery of it in the first trimester indicates that the pathology existed before the conception of the child. Iron deficiency anemia is most common in pregnant women. It accounts for 90% of cases. First of all, women in position are adjusting their diet. In it, one of the most important products should be meat, which contains complete proteins of animal origin. Vegetables and fruits also replenish iron stores. However, in the treatment of this disease can not do without medications.
What is anemia in pregnant women?
This condition is characterized by a decrease in the number of red blood cells - red blood cells - and hemoglobin. The main function of hemoglobin is to supply oxygen to the body's cells and release them from carbon dioxide. With a lack of hemoglobin, oxygen starvation called hypoxia occurs. In this case, the lack of oxygen is experienced not only by the expectant mother, but also the fetus. Its lack can negatively affect the formation of the internal organs of the child. A baby who has had hypoxia at the stage of the fetus often has respiratory illnesses at birth, becomes restless, irritable and tearful.
Anemia in pregnant women occurs with iron deficiency or poor absorption. During the period of bearing a child, a woman increases the need for this microelement, since it is spent on the development of the fetus and placenta. Anemia can occur due to a violation of the functions of the gastrointestinal tract. A woman consumes a sufficient amount of iron, but it is not absorbed by the body. In this case, you should quickly remove the cause of the disease and restore the normal hemoglobin level. To monitor anemia, pregnant women take a blood test once a month. With a hemoglobin content of less than 110 units, and red blood cells less than 3.9, anemia is diagnosed. The doctor prescribes special therapy and an appropriate diet to eliminate iron deficiency.
Types of Anemia
Anemia in pregnant women is a pathological condition that occurs in connection with a drop in hemoglobin level. As a result of this, the number of red blood cells is reduced, for the formation of which iron is needed. To increase the accumulation of red blood cells, the cause of this symptom is first identified. Anemia, depending on the causes, are divided into the following types:
- Posthemorrhagic. They are divided into chronic and acute. Formed as a result of blood loss.
- Megaloblastic, iron deficiency, sideroblastic, aplastic and anemia of chronic diseases. Occur when there is a violation of the formation of red blood cells or the construction of hemoglobin.
- Hemolytic. Caused by increased destruction of hemoglobin or red blood cells.
For all types of anemia, heart palpitations and general weakness are the main symptoms. In each case, the doctor determines the type and causes of anemia during pregnancy in order to properly conduct the course of treatment.
Common symptoms
Signs of anemia are largely dependent on the rate of development of the disease. With a fast flow of the process, the female body does not have time to compensate for the level of iron from its reserves, so the clinical manifestations are pronounced. With slow symptoms are weaker. In any case, with anemia in pregnant women appears:
- General weakness and fatigue. These are the very first signs of the disease. They are caused by a lack of oxygen in the muscles, organs and tissues.
- Dyspnea. Due to a lack of oxygen in the blood, the work of the respiratory center is activated. This leads to an increase in the frequency and depth of breathing. Due to this, the cells are saturated with oxygen. The growth of the fetus, which presses on the diaphragm, also contributes to shortness of breath.
- Heart palpitations. The reason for this is the same hypoxemia. A frequent heartbeat forces the blood to move faster so that it, enriched with oxygen, delivers it to the tissues, and carbon dioxide removes from the cells.
- Pallor of the skin. The pink color of the skin and mucous membranes is provided by red blood cells containing red hemoglobin. With anemia, their amount in the blood decreases, so the skin color turns pale. In addition, with a disease, spasm of blood vessels is possible, which also gives pallor to the dermis.
- Frequent dizziness. Lack of oxygen poorly supplies the sensitive nerve tissue of the brain, so dizziness appears when changing the position of the body, and then in a calm state. There may also be tinnitus, darker eyes, loss of consciousness, headaches.
Prevention
Anemia during pregnancy confirms that the female body spends an increased amount of its own reserves of iron and red blood cells on the development and growth of the fetus.
When planning a pregnancy, some parents are interested in how dangerous anemia is for an unborn baby. This is a very correct approach, since you need to start taking care of your baby’s health before he is born. If necessary, future mothers undergo therapy with vitamins and increase the concentration of hemoglobin in the blood. Prevention of anemia in pregnant women must take place. It is very important to pay attention to the pregnant woman’s nutrition. Her diet must contain meat.
It is it that is the supplier of iron to the mother's body. Vegetarians are advised to change their diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Drinking plenty of vegetables, fruits, and pomegranate juice is also a great way to prevent anemia. Additionally, doctors often prescribe iron-containing drugs. For effective prevention of anemia, the daily dose of folic acid is 250 mcg, and iron is 60 mg. Before using them, a consultation with the attending doctor is necessary. He will prescribe a blood test, and according to the results he will select the necessary vitamin complex and dosage regimen.
Diagnosis of anemia in pregnant women
Watching her condition, a pregnant woman can independently determine the presence of anemia. In this condition, the following is observed:
- General weakness and fatigue.
- Dizziness, fainting.
- Weakness in the muscles, frequent shortness of breath during exercise or without exercise.
Having noticed such symptoms, you should consult a doctor. Based on a blood test, the doctor will accurately diagnose and determine the type of anemia during pregnancy, as well as the severity that will be with the hemoglobin level (g / l):
- 90–110 - easy.
- 70–90 - average.
- 70 or less is heavy.
Treatment of the disease during pregnancy should be carried out comprehensively. To do this, you will have to reconsider your diet and take regularly medicines prescribed by your doctor.
Nutritional rules for pregnant women with low hemoglobin
Nutrition with anemia should make up for those elements, the lack of which causes this disease. In the diet of a pregnant woman with an iron deficiency, proteins and products that help reduce the amount of fat in the body must be present. Carbohydrates must be consumed per day no more than 0.5 kg. It is necessary to make sure that the food contains useful trace elements (iron is mandatory) and vitamins. Here are the most useful products for pregnancy:
- Liver (veal and pork).
- Meat (veal, beef, turkey meat).
- Egg yolk.
- Stale bread.
- Spinach.
- Apricots
- Lentils (unusually rich in iron).
- Almond.
- Pomegranate juice.
In case of poor appetite, a pregnant woman with a diagnosis of "anemia" should use soups (meat, fish and vegetable), add sauces allowed by the diet to main dishes. An approximate menu of a pregnant woman with signs of anemia for the day may look like this:
Breakfast:
- Boiled fish or meat.
- Vegetables or vegetable puree.
- Porridge - buckwheat, oat, rice.
- Scrambled eggs.
- Vegetable Pudding.
- Sandwich with butter and honey.
Lunch:
- Fried fish.
- Carrots or beets.
- Braised cabbage.
- Tomatoes
- Prefabricated vegetables.
- Cheese.
- Milk.
- Rosehip (decoction).
Dinner:
- Various soups.
- Boiled meat.
- Liver or heart.
- Mashed potatoes.
- Porridge.
- Cottage cheese.
- Vegetables.
- Compote.
- Jelly.
- Fruits.
Snack:
Dinner:
- Fish meals.
- Meat.
- Cottage cheese.
- Vegetable stew.
- Puddings.
- Cheese.
Before bedtime:
- Any fermented milk product.
The diet of pregnant women with anemia has no particular contraindications. The exceptions are mushrooms, caviar, seafood, citrus fruits, chocolate, raspberries, strawberries.
Iron preparations for oral administration
A lack of iron in the blood causes iron deficiency anemia. Expectant mothers often suffer precisely from this form of anemia. All iron-containing drugs for pregnant women are divided into:
- Ionic - ferrous iron with salts, quickly absorbed, used in tablets, capsules or in liquid form.
- Non-ionic - ferric iron containing proteins and sugar. It is absorbed worse, injected.
For therapy, it is preferable to use ferrous iron. It dissolves perfectly and quickly gets into the meek. The dosage is calculated individually for each patient, but according to general recommendations, an adult should consume 2 mg of iron per kilogram of weight. With a competent approach to the treatment of anemia in pregnant women, after a few days of taking the drugs, their health improves. Within a week, laboratory blood tests show positive changes in the results of the analysis. With regular intake of iron-containing medications for 2-3 months, the growth of hemoglobin becomes stable. Despite this, the drug should continue to be taken to create a trace mineral reserve. In this case, the attending physician will adjust the dose of the drug according to the results of the tests.
Features of taking iron-containing drugs
When treating anemia in pregnant women with iron preparations, the following side effects may occur:
- Nausea and vomiting, independent of the food consumed.
- Loss of appetite, sometimes manifested by a complete aversion to food.
- The appearance of a metallic taste in the mouth.
- Bowel disorder: diarrhea or constipation.
- Gray plaque on tooth enamel. The drug in liquid form should be drunk through a tube and rinsed after mouth.
Iron preparations are contraindicated in the following cases:
- Previously suffered a blood cancer;
- With aplastic and hemolytic anemia.
- Simultaneously with the mandatory administration of drugs of the tetracycline group or antacids.
- In chronic inflammatory processes in the kidneys and liver.
- With foods containing high levels of calcium, caffeine and fiber.
Iron preparations can be used, but under the supervision of a doctor, if a woman is diagnosed with:
- Ulcerative colitis.
- Peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum.
- Enteritis.
International classification
In Russia, the document of the tenth revision of ICD-10 was introduced into the practice of the healthcare system in 1999 and is valid throughout its territory. This standard is used to systematize and analyze data on mortality and morbidity. With the help of MBC, all diagnoses, illnesses and health problems have a certain code consisting of letters and numbers. Such information is convenient to store and analyze. For example, with anemia of pregnant women, the ICD-10 code is 099.0. This disease belongs to the XV class.
Features of Vitamins Including Iron
To prevent anemia in pregnant women, iron preparations by composition are divided into:
- One-component - contain only iron salts.
- Multicomponent - in addition to salts of iron, contains trace elements and acids that facilitate absorption.
Iron-containing preparations can be quick or prolonged. The second type is more preferable, since in this case the concentration of the trace element rises gradually and remains for a long time. These drugs are more gentle for pregnant women. They do not often cause adverse reactions (nausea, vomiting, upset stomach). For prevention, doctors often recommend the following iron-containing drugs for pregnant anemia:
- "Hemofer" - a tablet, inexpensive tool, the effectiveness is not inferior to expensive drugs.
- "Totem" - produced in the form of a solution, contains iron, manganese, copper, is rapidly absorbed.
- "Sorbifer Durules" - contains iron sulfate and ascorbic acid, is available in tablets. When taken with water, use in the second and third trimester. It can not be taken with other medicines and products containing a large amount of calcium. The dosage is determined by the doctor, after passing the tests.
- "Ferlatum" - does not contain toxic substances, does not cause constipation, has a pleasant berry taste, increases the iron content in pregnant women with anemia in a short time. Available in solution.
- “Maltofer Fall” - contains iron and vitamin B9, improves blood formation, synthesizes amino acids. Chewable tablets do not stain tooth enamel.
Before using medicines, you should consult your doctor.
Conclusion
ICD-10 pregnant anemia has the code 099.0 and is a dangerous disease for women. In this case, not only does the deterioration of the health of the woman in childbirth occur, but spontaneous miscarriage or various fetal malformations can also occur. As a result of the disease, there is a decrease in hemoglobin concentration, a decrease in the level of red blood cells and their altered forms. All this leads to oxygen starvation of both the mother and the child. Childbirth in a woman proceeds with numerous complications and large blood loss. Oxygen starvation leads to serious problems in delaying fetal development. To prevent such problems, timely and proper treatment of anemia is necessary.