Symptoms & Risk Factors for Anemia In Pregnancy
Anemia symptoms appear late. If the woman is otherwise healthy, she will rarely have any symptoms of anemia unless her hemoglobin is below 8 g/dl.
The first symptoms will be:
- Tiredness
- Paleness (especially of the fingernails, underside of eyelids, lips)
- Breathlessness
Occasional symptoms:
- Palpitations - the awareness of the heartbeat, breathlessness and dizziness can occur, though they are unusual.
- Pica- Cravings for non-food substances like clay, chalk, ask, paper etc. or an abnormal appetite for foods such as cornstarch, tomatoes, lemons, and ice.
- Forgetfulness
- Inflamed, sore tongue
- Jaundice (it is a rare condition)
- If the anemia is severe (less than 6g/dl), it may cause chest pain or headaches
Certain factors put pregnant women at a higher risk of acquiring anemia in pregnancy and include:
- Twin or multiple pregnancy
- Poor nutrition (iron/multivitamin/protein deficiency)
- Smoking (it reduces absorption of essential nutrients)
- Excessive alcohol consumption (it leads to poor nutrition)
- Use of anticonvulsant medications
- Morning sickness severe enough to cause frequent vomiting
- Spacing between two pregnancies is short
- Heavy menstrual flow before pregnancy
Citations
Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:
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APA
Dr. Trupti Shirole. (2019, July 11). Symptoms & Risk Factors for Anemia In Pregnancy. Medindia. Retrieved on May 21, 2022 from https://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/anemia-in-pregnancy-symptoms-risk.htm.
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MLA
Dr. Trupti Shirole. "Symptoms & Risk Factors for Anemia In Pregnancy". Medindia. May 21, 2022. <https://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/anemia-in-pregnancy-symptoms-risk.htm>.
Chicago
Dr. Trupti Shirole. "Symptoms & Risk Factors for Anemia In Pregnancy". Medindia. https://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/anemia-in-pregnancy-symptoms-risk.htm. (accessed May 21, 2022).
Harvard
Dr. Trupti Shirole. 2021. Symptoms & Risk Factors for Anemia In Pregnancy. Medindia, viewed May 21, 2022, https://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/anemia-in-pregnancy-symptoms-risk.htm.
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It is really important to take iron supplements when a woman is pregnant.