Iron-deficiency anemia in pregnancy | Causes and solutions

Iron-deficiency anemia in pregnancy is a common condition. Usually, a woman during pregnancy needs more blood than usual. The cause of Anemia during pregnancy is largely due to iron deficiency. Iron deficiency can lead to anemia as well as fatigue, especially for pregnant women, iron deficiency can also affect fetal development. So why is iron so important? How should pregnant women take iron supplements?

• 3 Nutrients for pregnant women in the first 3 months

1. Iron-deficiency anemia in pregnancy: Main reason

✅ The body uses iron to contribute to making red blood cells, which helps carry oxygen to tissues and organs. During pregnancy, the body must produce more blood to feed the fetus as well as the mother’s body. During this period, it is necessary to supplement iron for pregnant women to create blood and support the rapid growth of the fetus. In the event that you don’t get enough iron from your diet, your body will use the reserves of iron, leading to anemia. The situation of pregnant women with iron deficiency is very common. Iron deficiency anemia increases the risk of preterm birth for pregnant women.

2. Iron-deficiency anemia in pregnancy: Signs

✅ This condition may not show any signs, especially when there is only mild anemia. The most common sign of anemia in pregnancy is fatigue, feeling weak, dizzy. Pregnant women can feel the heartbeat, gasping for breath, difficulty concentrating, headaches, fainting … However, this is also a sign that women often encounter during pregnancy so they can not rely on them to conclude that pregnant women are anemic. Some women with anemia due to severe iron deficiency may crave non-food things like ice, paper, etc.

The advice here is to see a doctor if you have the above symptoms for more advice on the condition.

3. Iron-deficiency anemia in pregnancy: Foods improve anemia for pregnancy

✅ Anemia is the most common condition of pregnant women during the developing fetus, which increases the risk of premature birth and developmental delays. Pregnancy increases your blood demand by up to 50%.
✅ Iron is used by the body to make red blood cells. An increase in blood supply means you will need more red blood cells and more iron to make those blood cells. When there is not enough iron in your body, you can develop anemia. Foods high in natural iron may be helpful in preventing and alleviating symptoms of anemia. The benefit of taking iron from food is its ability to absorb it more efficiently than other supplements. Iron is commonly found in animal meat and also vegetables with quite abundant content. You need to know, there are 2 types of iron:

• Heme iron: This iron is easily absorbed by the body, you can find heme iron in meat, fish, and other sources of animal protein.
• Non-heme iron: Non-heme iron is found in grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, and seeds. This iron is not easy to absorb and requires more time for metabolism.

3.1 Iron-deficiency anemia in pregnancy: Foods containing heme iron

• Beef: Red meat is the best source of heme iron. An 85g serving of beef contains about 1.5 milligrams of iron. When using beef steak at a restaurant, ask for beef to be well cooked to eliminate the risk of botulism poisoning because the bacteria in meat have not been completely destroyed.
• Chicken: Chicken contains quite rich iron content and is also on the list of food for pregnant women. In addition, experts also appreciate the amount of protein and other vitamins and nutrients that chicken brings to pregnant mothers. In addition, this familiar meat is also easily processed into many delicious dishes, stimulating the taste and good for health such as stew chicken, chicken soup …
• Salmon: Salmon is relatively high in iron and safe for pregnant women as long as the meat is fully cooked. In addition to iron, salmon also contains omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients good for pregnant women. Salmon also has lower mercury content than some other fish, such as tuna and swordfish. Add salmon to the menu about 3 times/week to increase iron and protein.

3.2 Iron-deficiency anemia in pregnancy: Foods containing non-heme iron

• Legumes: Legumes such as lentils, black beans, chickpeas, etc. contain a lot of protein and extremely rich iron content. Besides, beans are also nutritious food for pregnant women with abundant fiber, which helps you improve constipation during pregnancy.
• Spinach and kale: These two vegetables are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and iron. They are also very easy to combine with other dishes. You can make salads, serve omelets, or just fry with the meat.
• Broccoli: Broccoli is not only delicious, but the nutritional value of this vegetable is also impressive: Each 30g of broccoli provides 1mg of iron and is accompanied by vitamin C, a vitamin that helps the body absorb iron better.

You may not know, vitamin C is important in the body’s absorption of iron because it has the ability to help the body break down and absorb iron from foods. So besides iron-rich foods for pregnant women, you can also support the body by adding vitamin C-rich foods to help absorb more iron, such as Kiwi, papaya, strawberries, tomatoes, bell peppers, citrus fruits.

4. Recommended for you :

👨‍⚕️ If you are experiencing iron deficiency anemia, you can take an iron supplement. Here are the iron supplements that are appreciated on Amazon. A special feature of this formulation is the combination of iron and vitamin C. Vitron-C is a high potency iron supplement uniquely formulated with vitamin C to help your body better absorb iron. Vitamin C also helps to combat fatigue for people with anemia.