Low haemoglobin during pregnancy is a serious issue for pregnant women. Learn about the symptoms of low haemoglobin levels and also know of the ways to increase the haemoglobin levels during pregnancy. Pregnancy is a life changing experience in the life of a woman. There are challenges and one need to overcome them on a regular basis. Amongst them are certain common health issues, where low haemoglobin levels are one of them. Haemoglobin is a very vital component in the blood that aid in the transportation of oxygen to the red blood cells and simultaneously to the various other organs and parts of the body. The condition where the haemoglobin levels fall is known as anaemia, and many women are found to suffer from this during the early and the entire pregnancy term. The volume of blood in the body surges and along with this, the levels of haemoglobin plummets. You therefore need to take adequate measures so that your system is fortified and the pregnancy is successful. In this articleCauses of Low Haemoglobin During PregnancySymptoms of Low HaemoglobinHow to Increase Haemoglobin During PregnancyCauses of Low Haemoglobin During Pregnancy The requirement for iron and other vitamins increases when the woman becomes pregnant and this leads to anaemia. The production of red blood cells has to be enhanced apart from the fact that the requirement of iron by the placenta and foetus is also there. The mother has to ensure both. In order to meet the desired requirement of red blood cells of the foetus, the body of the mother must be able to produce it along with the plasma. It has been studied that the volume of blood goes up to almost 50% during pregnancy, while the plasma count is much greater and in a disproportionate manner. This dilutes the blood and result in the fall in the haemoglobin levels. This makes iron supplements absolutely essential. Symptoms of Low Haemoglobin When the haemoglobin falls under 8g/dl, the woman will show various symptoms of anaemia like –Fatigue and a pale appearance.Breathlessness, palpitations, faster heartbeat and a persistent feeling of dizziness.If the haemoglobin levels fall under 6g/dl, the pregnant woman will experience headache along with chest pain, or angina. How to Increase Haemoglobin During Pregnancy Following are some of the ways to increase the haemoglobin levels during pregnancy: It is advisable to take in iron supplements in the desired amount even before conceiving after consulting a doctor.Check your diet. Whole wheat breads, cereals, dried fruits, spinach, other leafy greens and veggies, eggs, lean meat and beef are great sources of iron.A good diet should be further supplemented with vitamins and folic acid. Doctors often suggest a combined dose of iron and folic acid at the early stage.To enable the iron in your diet to get utilised and absorbed effectively, it is advisable to take in a good amount of vitamin C.Lime, oranges, other citrus fruits, potatoes and raw veggies are an excellent source of natural vitamin C.Continue taking in foods rich in folic acid like asparagus, broccoli, beans, beef and muesli. It will also help to prevent the baby to be born with spinal cord defects called spina bfida.If you already have or are prone to low haemoglobin levels, you need to take care even before you plan conception. So follow the doctor’s advice on diet and iron and vitamin supplements so that the body becomes well equipped to face the rigours or rearing a foetus and proceeding towards healthy delivery. Go for the regular blood screenings to determine the haemoglobin levels and this allows the doctor to monitor your system and plan out the treatment accordingly.
Low haemoglobin during pregnancy is a serious issue for pregnant women. Learn about the symptoms of low haemoglobin levels and also know of the ways to increase the haemoglobin levels during pregnancy. Pregnancy is a life changing experience in the life of a woman. There are challenges and one need to overcome them on a regular basis. Amongst them are certain common health issues, where low haemoglobin levels are one of them.
Haemoglobin is a very vital component in the blood that aid in the transportation of oxygen to the red blood cells and simultaneously to the various other organs and parts of the body. The condition where the haemoglobin levels fall is known as anaemia, and many women are found to suffer from this during the early and the entire pregnancy term.
The volume of blood in the body surges and along with this, the levels of haemoglobin plummets. You therefore need to take adequate measures so that your system is fortified and the pregnancy is successful.
The requirement for iron and other vitamins increases when the woman becomes pregnant and this leads to anaemia. The production of red blood cells has to be enhanced apart from the fact that the requirement of iron by the placenta and foetus is also there. The mother has to ensure both. In order to meet the desired requirement of red blood cells of the foetus, the body of the mother must be able to produce it along with the plasma. It has been studied that the volume of blood goes up to almost 50% during pregnancy, while the plasma count is much greater and in a disproportionate manner. This dilutes the blood and result in the fall in the haemoglobin levels. This makes iron supplements absolutely essential.
Symptoms of Low Haemoglobin
When the haemoglobin falls under 8g/dl, the woman will show various symptoms of anaemia like –
Fatigue and a pale appearance.
Breathlessness, palpitations, faster heartbeat and a persistent feeling of dizziness.
If the haemoglobin levels fall under 6g/dl, the pregnant woman will experience headache along with chest pain, or angina.
How to Increase Haemoglobin During Pregnancy
Following are some of the ways to increase the haemoglobin levels during pregnancy:
It is advisable to take in iron supplements in the desired amount even before conceiving after consulting a doctor.
Check your diet. Whole wheat breads, cereals, dried fruits, spinach, other leafy greens and veggies, eggs, lean meat and beef are great sources of iron.
A good diet should be further supplemented with vitamins and folic acid. Doctors often suggest a combined dose of iron and folic acid at the early stage.
To enable the iron in your diet to get utilised and absorbed effectively, it is advisable to take in a good amount of vitamin C.
Lime, oranges, other citrus fruits, potatoes and raw veggies are an excellent source of natural vitamin C.
Continue taking in foods rich in folic acid like asparagus, broccoli, beans, beef and muesli. It will also help to prevent the baby to be born with spinal cord defects called spina bfida.
If you already have or are prone to low haemoglobin levels, you need to take care even before you plan conception. So follow the doctor’s advice on diet and iron and vitamin supplements so that the body becomes well equipped to face the rigours or rearing a foetus and proceeding towards healthy delivery. Go for the regular blood screenings to determine the haemoglobin levels and this allows the doctor to monitor your system and plan out the treatment accordingly.
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My wife is in trimester stage in the pregnancy and she is having hb content very low 5.0,what can i do,she is having good supplements,i think which is not giving enough to get range of hb and my question is either she needs to take blood,it will be ok or what should i do please help me out or it cause any serious issue to her or fetus.
This is a very good article. I am expecting and am in my third month. I always had a low haemoglobin levels and after reading this article, I am sure that my haemoglobin levels may be low. Thoug now I am not having any such symptoms but I am sure gonna go for a blood check up. Meawhile I am having iron rich foods. Thanks for such an informative article.
Anemia is most common problem faced by pregnant women all over the world. Low haemoglobin levels can be detrimental for the pregnancy. If hemoglobin levels do not increase by the end of the pregnancy then there may be risk of low birth rate or a stillborn. This may also lead to excessive blood loss during child birth. So this article has created awareness about low haemoglobin levels during pregnancy.
Many women become anemic with pregnancy due to an increased demand of blood. During pregnancy, the iron needs of the body increases so as to make enough hemoglobin for both mother and the baby. Thus anemia is common in pregnancy. It makes you feel tired and weak. So it is better to get iron levels checked during pregnancy to avoid anemia.
Why do haemoglobin levels plummet in pregnancy? What will happen if haemoglobin levels are low during pregnancy? How to increase the haemoglobin levels during pregnancy?
Himani
I am into my fifth month of pregnancy. During my last check up, I found that I had a low level of heamoglobin i.e. 7.3. i am taking Fefol tablets, but it leads to constipation. Now I am trying to incr...
Pooja
It is best to improve the blood haemoglobin levels during pregnancy through iron supplements and foods rich in iron. Pregnant women are prone to very low haemoglobin count so they can get to a decent ...
Maya
Iron is essential for making hemoglobin the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to other cells. During pregnancy, the amount of blood in the body increases. You also need extra iron for you...
