It’s a staggering thought to consider the wonders of pregnancy. What a miracle for a woman to create another life. For most women, the experience is beautiful but for some women, it can be fraught with health issues. Anemia can be one of those issues a pregnant woman has to face.
Anemia is a decrease in red blood cells that results in fatigue because you aren’t getting as much oxygen transported to your cells. It can be caused by less production or more destruction. To produce red blood cells in your bone marrow, iron, vitamin B12 and folic acid are required. Hence, these are the various types of anemia you can develop.
Anemia can be a common problem in pregnancy. You are supplying enough iron for you and your baby, so you can imagine how easily your stores can be depleted. Sometimes, an iron supplement is all you need.
If you have been pregnant before, you will know how much your provider stresses a good folic acid. This is to protect you against anemia, among other things. Folic Acid is one of the B-vitamins. It is critical and so it is important to know what foods to eat to boost this naturally. Folic Acid can be found in sources such as legumes, asparagus, eggs, and of course, leafy greens. If you can’t get enough from food sources, nutritional yeast as a supplement can be helpful.
Sometimes, underlying chronic health issues can add stress to your pregnancy and be a cause of anemia. If you are thinking about a future pregnancy, make sure you address any underlying health issues with your health care provider and make sure you are starting out with the best health possible.
Pregnancy can alter the digestive system which sometimes triggers anemia. The baby can take more of the iron stores than the mother gets. For this reason, it’s vital that you focus on good gut health throughout your pregnancy.
Anemia is a common problem in pregnancy and can be easily treated and managed, especially with a balanced diet of healthy, unprocessed foods. Its important to let your provider know if you are experiencing extreme fatigue. Letting anemia go without treatment can result in early labor.
