Anemia is a common condition that is seen in many women who are pregnant. The condition is also very dangerous and can even be fatal if not treated properly. Women who are pregnant will have a high risk of having anemia. There is a decrease in the amount of iron content in the blood and so the amount of Oxygen that is carried along with the iron decreases. All this causes the affected women to have breathlessness and also makes them to become tired.

Amount of iron needed in diet:

All of the people need about 15 mg of iron each day as part of our diet. In spite of this, many people do not get about this amount of iron each day. If you are pregnant, then you should consume double the amount of iron. This comes to about 30mg of iron. If you are not able to consume 30mg of iron each day, then it will cause you to have signs of iron deficiency anemia.

Why pregnant women become anemic:

Almost all of us are not able to consume the amount of iron that should be consumed. If you are pregnant, then you should consume double the amount and so this is actually not possible with your regular diet, unless you make a conscious effort to consume that much of iron rich food. This is the reason that all mothers are told to consume as much of iron rich food as possible.

Signs of anemia in pregnant women:

There are various signs of anemia that can be seen in pregnant women and they are sometimes confused by the other signs that are part of pregnancy itself. These signs include fatigue and also dizziness. There can also be other peculiar signs that include a craving for certain kinds of food that are usually not consumed. Some women like chalk and others like to eat ash. Other than this, pale skin and also brittle nails can be the signs with which anemia is identified. It can also be identified with a blood check where the level of hemoglobin in the blood can be identified.

Treatment of anemia:

Anemia can be treated by consuming foods that are rich in iron content. These include foods that have green leaves like certain greens, cucumber, carrots, radish and also tomatoes. Other than these natural foods, there are also iron supplements that are available and are given. The amount of supplements that should be consumed by you should be prescribed by your physician. You can also consult a dietician to learn about the foods that are rich in iron content, that can be consumed by you during your pregnancy.

Effect of iron deficiency on your baby

Usually if the mother goes for regular health check up during the pregnancy, the anemia will be identified early and can be rectified. In case this does not happen, then the baby can be born early and is called as a pre term baby. The baby can also have low birth weight.

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