Your body goes through significant changes when you become pregnant. The amount of blood in your body increases by about 20-30 percent, which increases the supply of iron and vitamins that the body needs to make hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to other cells in your body. Many women lack the sufficient amount of iron needed for the second and third trimesters. When your body needs more iron than it has available, you can become anemic. Mild anemia is normal during pregnancy due to an increase in blood volume. More severe anemia, however, can put your baby at higher risk for anemia later in infancy. In addition, if you are significantly anemic during your first two trimesters, you are at greater risk for having a pre-term delivery or low-birth-weight baby. Being anemic also burdens the mother by increasing the risk of blood loss during labor and making it more difficult to fight infections. Am I at Risk?You are at higher risk for becoming anemic during your pregnancy if you:
Many of the symptoms of anemia during pregnancy are also symptoms you may experience even if you are not anemic; these include:
Doctors typically perform several tests to check the percentage of red blood cells in your plasma and the amount of hemoglobin in your blood. These are indicators of whether you are at risk for becoming anemic. Is Pregnancy-Related Anemia Preventable?Good nutrition is the best way to prevent anemia if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. Eating foods high in iron content (such as dark green leafy vegetables, red meat, fortified cereals, eggs, and peanuts) can help ensure that you maintain the supply of iron your body needs to function properly. Your obstetrician will also prescribe vitamins to ensure that you have enough iron and folic acid. Make sure you get at least 27 mg of iron each day. If you do become anemic during your pregnancy, it can usually be treated by taking iron supplements. Ask your doctor about your risk for anemia and make sure you are tested at your first prenatal visit. You also may want to get tested four to six weeks after delivery. Depending on your condition, your doctor may refer you to a hematologist, a doctor who specializes in blood conditions. Where Can I Find More Information?If you find that you are interested in learning more about blood diseases and disorders, here are a few other resources that may be of some help: Results of Clinical Studies Published in BloodSearch Blood, the official journal of ASH, for the results of the latest blood research. While recent articles generally require a subscriber login, patients interested in viewing an access-controlled article in Blood may obtain a copy by e-mailing a request to the Blood Publishing Office. Patient GroupsA list of Web links to patient groups and other organizations that provide information.
If you have been diagnosed with low iron or iron deficiency anemia in your pregnancy, you are not alone. Due to the increased demands on a woman's body and the increase in blood volume, iron deficiency anemia is a very common condition in pregnancy. Low iron may make you feel tired, have headaches, get dizzy, feel weak, or have shortness of breath. These are often things that a pregnant person may experience at some point in their pregnancy anyway, so all pregnant people have their iron levels tested regardless of symptoms. Prenatal multivitamins provide a good boost of iron, but by eating iron-rich foods, you can help further prevent or combat anemia in pregnancy and postpartum. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) stress that pregnant women eat a well-balanced diet and pay particular attention to the daily requirements for certain nutrients. Iron and folic acid are among the most important of these. When you're pregnant, your body needs twice the amount of iron as it normally does. That's because iron is essential to the extra red blood cells your body will create for the baby. The red blood cells carry oxygen to your organs and tissues, as well as your fetus. Iron is important throughout your pregnancy but even more crucial in the second and third trimesters. Since the body doesn't actually produce iron, you need to get it from food and supplements. Foods that are naturally high in iron can be very helpful in preventing anemia and therefore relieving the symptoms it can cause. Iron is found in food two forms— heme and non-heme iron. Heme iron is the most efficiently used by your body and less likely to be affected by components that might otherwise reduce absorption. Supplements range in terms of what form the iron is in. A benefit to getting as much of your daily iron needs from food as possible is that the food sources don’t typically come along with the potential for intestinal distress that some iron supplements can.
ACOG recommends that pregnant women have a daily intake of 27 milligrams (mg) of iron each day. It can be difficult to get the recommended amount of iron via food alone. The University of California San Francisco Medical Center notes that cooking in cast iron can increase the iron in foods by 80%, and pairing non-heme iron-rich foods with a source of vitamin C can increase absorption. In addition, some things can reduce iron intake, like a calcium supplement—so if you take a calcium supplement, take it separately from an iron-rich meal or snack. During pregnancy, you need 27 mg of iron each day. Incorporating the following foods into your diet is a good way to reach the daily goal.
The easiest way to get more iron is to include at least one iron-rich food at each meal and snack. Do you eat a salad with iceberg lettuce? Consider switching to a base of baby spinach or mixed leafy greens and adding white beans on top. Need a pick-me-up snack in the afternoon? Think about beef jerky and a handful of raspberries. Beans and lentils are an inexpensive way to add an iron boost to snacks and meals. Several brands are making crispy baked beans that can be snacked on like nuts, which can make it easier to include them in on-the-go snacks. Adding a couple of prunes to your breakfast would be helpful as well. You could also sprinkle prunes or raisins on your oatmeal or add it to a trail mix. Eating bean burritos at least once a week is also a great idea—it's cheap, easy, and good for you. You can still have a healthy pregnancy without eating meat. Despite the fact that the body absorbs animal sources of iron better than plant sources, you do not have to eat meat to increase your iron intake. It is possible to follow a vegetarian diet and support a healthy pregnancy. It just takes some additional planning. There are many vegetarian iron-rich foods. Be mindful of including one rich source of iron in each meal and snack. Foods containing wheat germ are also a good option and eating foods high in vitamin C (citrus, strawberries, bell peppers) will help increase the absorption of non-heme iron. If you like to eat meat and want to add more of it to your diet, red meat will provide you with the most iron. You will need to ensure that it is cooked to a safe temperature. Eating undercooked animal products can increase your risk of dangerous foodborne pathogens that can lead to serious illness for both you and your baby. Though meat is a great source of iron, variety is important, too, since different foods bring different nutrients to the table. For instance, lentils deliver fiber along with iron, while cooked spinach adds vitamins A and K. You can also increase the amount of iron your body absorbs by eating iron-rich foods along with vitamin C. Think about snacking on fruits like oranges or adding tomatoes to your meals more often. However, you should avoid large amounts of calcium with high-iron foods or when taking iron supplements because it can decrease absorption.
Many foods you eat, like grains and cereals, may also be fortified with iron. Be sure to look for this on the nutrition labels when shopping. Your midwife or doctor will usually screen for anemia early in your pregnancy and again between 24 and 28 weeks. If you are anemic, you may be asked to take a supplement in addition to your prenatal vitamin. Or you may be asked to switch which type of prenatal vitamin you are taking. Some supplements can make you feel constipated or your bowels feel sluggish. Not everyone responds the same way to supplements, either. This is certainly something to talk to your doctor or midwife about because you may need a different dosage or to change supplements. There is a variety of iron supplement forms, including some liquids, available.
Your practitioner can help you decide which supplement is best for you. As you progress through your pregnancy, think about ways to increase your iron intake that sound appealing and fit into meals and snacks you have often. You will feel better and can reduce your risk of anemia if you’re eating iron-rich foods regularly. Upping your iron consumption will also help if you have already been diagnosed with anemia and need to increase your blood iron levels. If needed, ask your doctor or midwife for a referral to a registered dietitian. A simple one-on-one visit might be all that you need to get the tools to increase your iron intake via food. |
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