After becoming pregnant, the body of a woman undergoes minor changes in various functions. The demand for folic acid increases during pregnancy. A normal pregnancy requires a minimum daily intake of 500-600μg of folic acid to meet the needs of the fetus and maintain normal folic acid stores in the mother's body. The demand for folic acid is even greater in twin pregnancies. However, women with megaloblastic anemia often have reduced folic acid intake due to severe nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite during pregnancy. When pregnant women have gastrointestinal diseases, such as chronic atrophic gastritis or partial or total gastric resection, the secretion of intrinsic factor by gastric mucosal cells is reduced, resulting in impaired absorption of vitamin B12, exacerbating folic acid and vitamin B12 deficiency. Anemia in pregnant women not only affects the pregnant women themselves, but also has a more important impact on the baby. So, how much do you, as new parents, know about the harm of anemia in pregnant women to the baby? Do you know? If you don't know, follow me, and I will show you the causes of anemia in pregnant women, the dangers of anemia, and some home remedies for treating anemia!
Causes of Anemia in Pregnant Women
1. Iron deficiency
After becoming pregnant, women have a significantly increased demand for iron. Iron is the basic element for the production of hemoglobin, and red blood cells containing hemoglobin can transport oxygen to other cells in your body. During pregnancy, your blood volume increases by 30% to 45%. Therefore, pregnant women need more iron to synthesize hemoglobin for the additional blood volume. In addition, pregnant women also need some iron to meet the needs of the developing baby and placenta.
However, most women do not have enough iron stored in their bodies to meet the increased demand for iron, especially in the later stages of pregnancy, when anemia symptoms are more likely to occur.
Several situations make women more prone to iron deficiency anemia: severe and frequent vomiting during pregnancy, short intervals between pregnancies, carrying twins or multiples, lack of iron in daily diet, and heavy menstrual bleeding before pregnancy.
Pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia can eat more iron-rich foods in their diet.
2. Lack of folic acid or vitamin B12
Pregnant women who develop anemia due to a lack of folic acid or vitamin B12 should consult a doctor and take targeted folic acid tablets, multivitamins, etc. They should also eat more foods rich in folic acid and vitamin B12 in their daily diet.
3. Some diseases, such as sickle cell anemia, a hereditary blood disorder
Dangers of Anemia
1. Weakened immune function
Immune function is weakened, especially in terms of cellular immunity and phagocytic capacity of white blood cells. Therefore, adolescents with moderate or severe iron deficiency anemia have generally lower resistance to diseases, especially respiratory diseases.
2. Reduced physical labor capacity
Iron deficiency causes a decrease in the concentration of enzymes in skeletal muscle, mitochondrial oxidases, and myoglobin, resulting in insufficient oxygen supply to muscles, decreased aerobic metabolism, and accumulation of lactic acid in the blood. Therefore, adolescents with iron deficiency anemia have significantly reduced muscle explosive power and isometric muscle strength, and more importantly, a decrease in endurance during physical activity.
3. Cardiovascular system
In severe cases of iron deficiency anemia, when hemoglobin levels are below 7 g/dl, there may be an increased heart rate, enlarged heart, and even audible systolic murmurs.
4. Digestive system
Manifestations such as atrophy of the taste buds on the tongue, loss of appetite, weak gastrointestinal function, decreased gastric acid secretion, and poor digestion and absorption.
5. Immune system
Iron deficiency anemia can lead to a weakened immune system, making children more susceptible to various infections that are difficult to cure.
6. Nervous system
Iron deficiency anemia can cause developmental delays in brain cells, which is irreversible. In other words, nutritional deficiencies in brain cells during infancy can lead to intellectual disabilities that cannot be compensated for even with good nutrition in adulthood.
Home Remedies for Treating Anemia
1. 15g longan meat, 3-5 red dates, 100g glutinous rice. Cook them together to make porridge and consume it while it is warm. It has the effects of nourishing the heart and spleen, and strengthening the body.
2. 2 kg (1000g) fresh lamb bones, 200g glutinous rice. Clean and crush the lamb bones, boil them with water to make soup, remove the residue, and then cook the glutinous rice in the soup. Consume the porridge at a moderate temperature. This remedy has the effect of nourishing the kidneys and strengthening the bones.
3. 100g brown glutinous rice, 50g coix seed, 15 red dates. Cook them together to make porridge. Add an appropriate amount of white sugar before consumption. It has the effect of nourishing yin and replenishing blood.
4. 60g processed Polygonum multiflorum, 3-5 red dates, 100g glutinous rice. First, decoct the processed Polygonum multiflorum to obtain a concentrated juice and remove the residue. Then add red dates and glutinous rice to cook the porridge. When it is cooked, add an appropriate amount of brown sugar and simmer for a while. Consume it while it is warm. Polygonum multiflorum should not be in contact with iron, so a small pot or enamel pot should be used when decocting or cooking the porridge. This remedy has the effects of tonifying the liver and kidneys, and nourishing blood and strengthening the body.
5. 2 eggs, separate the egg yolks and beat them. Boil water and add a pinch of salt, then add the egg yolks and cook until they are done. Consume this twice a day. It has the effect of supplementing iron and is suitable for iron deficiency anemia.
6. 150g pork liver, a suitable amount of spinach. Clean the pork liver, slice it, and mix it with starch, salt, soy sauce, and MSG. Stir-fry the mixture with blanched spinach, or cook 50g of pork liver slices in boiling water until they are almost cooked, then add spinach and cook until done. Add rice to the soup and consume the liver, spinach, and soup together. This remedy has the effect of supplementing iron and is suitable for iron deficiency anemia.
So, it turns out that anemia in pregnant women has so many dangers. Today, I have also learned something new. Because anemia in pregnant women has so many harmful effects, pregnant women should pay more attention to their diet. The above-mentioned home remedies for treating anemia are a good choice. I hope that what I have mentioned will be helpful to everyone.
