What should pregnant women do about anemia?

Written by Liu Wei Jie
Obstetrics
Updated on September 05, 2024
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We often find that anemia in pregnant women is very common during prenatal check-ups. There are three main reasons for anemia. The first reason is iron deficiency anemia, which is due to insufficient intake during pregnancy while the fetus requires a large amount, leading to iron deficiency anemia. The second reason is megaloblastic anemia, which is caused by insufficient intake of vitamin B6 and folic acid, resulting in anemia. Another condition is thalassemia, which is due to a genetic mutation causing anemia.

For treatment of anemia, we first need to address the specific cause. If it is iron deficiency anemia, iron supplements are necessary, and the diet should include foods like pork liver and lean meat. If it is megaloblastic anemia, supplementation with folic acid and vitamin B12 is needed. Moreover, for thalassemia, mild cases can be observed, while severe cases may require a small amount of blood transfusion treatment.

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How to use diet to supplement after surgery anemia?

Postoperative anemia is mostly hemorrhagic anemia. Apart from promptly stopping bleeding and administering blood transfusions, dietary supplementation can also promote the rapid recovery of red blood cells and improve anemia. Therefore, it is possible to include blood-enriching foods such as lean meat, pork liver, pig's blood, and iron-rich vegetables like black fungus, spinach, and rapeseed, as iron is a crucial raw material for synthesizing hemoglobin. Additionally, it is necessary to consume more fresh vegetables and fruits, which are rich in folic acid and vitamin B12, also essential raw materials for the recovery of red blood cell production. Therefore, these nutrients can be appropriately supplemented in daily diet.

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How should pregnant women supplement for anemia?

Under normal circumstances, if anemia symptoms are confirmed after pregnancy, further examination is still necessary for active symptomatic treatment. Normally, the specific cause of the anemia can be identified, whether it is due to iron deficiency, folate deficiency, or B12 deficiency. According to the specific cause of anemia, oral medication can be administered for symptomatic treatment, which can effectively alleviate the symptoms. After taking oral medication, it is also necessary to regularly check the rise in hemoglobin levels to properly manage the condition.

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What indicators are used to diagnose anemia?

To determine if someone is anemic, we should look at the red blood cell count and hemoglobin level in a complete blood count. Currently, hemoglobin level is the commonly used indicator clinically. Normal hemoglobin levels are 110~150g/L for women and 120~160g/L for men. Anemia is diagnosed when the hemoglobin level falls below the normal range. Based on the amount of hemoglobin, anemia can be classified into very severe, severe, moderate, or mild. Hemoglobin levels above 90g/L indicate mild anemia, levels between 60~90g/L indicate moderate anemia, levels between 30~60g/L indicate severe anemia, and levels below 30g/L indicate very severe anemia.

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How is anemia treated?

For any type of anemia, if the anemia is severe, there is a need for active transfusion of red blood cells to correct the anemia. However, anemia can reoccur after transfusion of red blood cells, and it is not a long-term solution. Therefore, after correcting anemia with red blood cell transfusion, it is still necessary to diagnose the specific cause of the anemia and treat it accordingly. For example, patients with iron deficiency anemia need iron supplementation, those with megaloblastic anemia need to be supplemented with folic acid and vitamin B12, and patients with acute blood loss anemia need to find the source of bleeding and receive hemostatic treatment. Anemia caused by malignant hematological disorders like acute leukemia or myelodysplastic syndromes requires anti-tumor treatment.

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The difference between macrocytic anemia and microcytic anemia.

Anemia can be classified according to the morphological characteristics of red blood cells into macrocytic anemia, normocytic anemia, and microcytic hypochromic anemia. The diagnosis of macrocytic anemia includes a mean red blood cell volume greater than 100fL and a mean red blood cell hemoglobin concentration between 32%-35%. Common diseases associated with macrocytic anemia include megaloblastic anemia, hemolytic anemia with extensive reticulocytosis, myelodysplastic syndromes, and liver diseases. Microcytic hypochromic anemia, on the other hand, is diagnosed when the average red blood cell volume is less than 80fL and the average red blood cell hemoglobin concentration is less than 32%. Common diseases associated with microcytic hypochromic anemia include iron deficiency anemia, sideroblastic anemia, and thalassemia.