Low hemoglobin in pregnancy

One of the most beautiful periods in the life of a woman is pregnancy. It is an experience that every woman remembers for the rest of her life. The thought of carrying a new life inside her womb brings plenty of joy and amusement. However, pregnancy is also a period when a woman must face many discomforts since her body undergoes many changes in this period. First of all, the levels of hormones become higher and that leads to many other changes.

One of the numerous problems that a pregnant woman must deal with is low hemoglobin. This problem is one of the most common, and about 80 % of pregnant women confront this condition. Hemoglobin is one of the most vital components of the blood and it has the role to carry oxygen in the red blood cells to the organs in the body. When a woman is pregnant, the volume of blood increases, but on the other hand, the level of hemoglobin decreases because the level of the red blood cells also decreases in the pregnancy. Consequently, the pregnant woman may experience anemia.

Symptoms of low hemoglobin in pregnancy

The volume of the produced blood increases during the pregnancy because the woman and her baby must be nourished with many supplements from the blood. One of the most important supplements is iron. However, although the amount of blood is increased, it can happen that the iron deficiency occurs. Furthermore, the most common symptoms of low hemoglobin in pregnant women are tiredness, constant weakness and fatigue, as well as pale skin and recurring headaches. The pregnant woman with anemia may also experience low body temperature, shortness of breast and rapid heartbeats. There are also cases when low hemoglobin leads to mild chest pain and dizziness, as well as a feeling of numbness or coldness in hands and legs.

Other warning signs of low hemoglobin in pregnancy are irritability, tingling feeling in the palms and feet, and urge to eat very strange things, such as clay, ice, paint and mud. Those women who had excessive menstruation before the pregnancy are at a higher risk to develop this condition in pregnancy. Furthermore, carrying two babies in the womb, or frequent morning sickness accompanied by vomiting are also some of the conditions that may lead to this problem in pregnancy. It is very important for a pregnant woman to consume foods rich in iron, as well as many other supplements that every doctor prescribes when a woman is pregnant.