Multiple changes are underway in a woman’s body during pregnancy. For instance, the body will start producing more blood to support the growth of the baby. It uses iron along with other nutrients to produce the red blood cells for the blood. So much so that, the iron requirement increases by almost 50% during pregnancy.
It follows that the iron levels start to deplete and can manifest as iron deficiency in pregnancy. While mild anemia is a common phenomenon, severe cases can lead to serious complications for both the mother and the unborn child.
It should be noted that iron is present in the form of hemoglobin in the blood and it plays a critical role in transporting oxygen to the various organs in the body. As a result of the deficiency, the woman starts feeling tired, weak, dizzy and difficulty in concentration. She can turn pale and have labored breathing as well.
As the growing baby is not getting the required oxygen from the mother’s blood, it may not grow to a healthy weight, arrive preterm or have low birth weight. The child may have developmental delays and may even be anemic. The mother may not be able to recover as quickly from the childbirth and faces an increased likelihood of postpartum depression.
A recent study led by Menzies School of Health Research published in June 2020 finds maternal anemia in pregnancy to be a more significant risk factor than being born premature or low birth weight. Dr. Martin Hansen of Royal Darwin Hospital states, “We also found that the odds of a child developing anemia at age six months was four folds greater if their mother had anemia in the third trimester of pregnancy compared with those born to non-anemic mothers. The odds substantially increased if maternal anemia in third trimester was not treated. …. the need for a renewed focus on implementing and reporting anemia screening, prevention and treatment in pregnancy."
Not only this, anemia is quite widespread among mothers-to-be. According to the World Health Organization 2020 estimates, 40% of pregnant women worldwide are anemic. It further estimates that one-third of the women of reproductive age are suffering from anemia. Moreover, more than 40% of children under 5 are diagnosed as anemic.
The statistics are pretty staggering. It indicates poor nutrition and health standards around the world. While changes in the diet intake can help improve the iron levels in the body, severe cases of anemia call for iron supplementation to combat the low iron in the body.
In fact, pregnant women are usually prescribed iron and folic acid tablets based on the prenatal blood tests like hemoglobin and hematocrit. These supplements boost the hemoglobin the mother’s body and can help prevent the side-effects of anemia for both the mother and baby.
Indeed, latest research reveals that children of mothers who used iron and folic supplements for at least 50 days during pregnancy are 10% less likely to have anemia!
While iron supplements are essential to combat iron deficiency in pregnancy, they come with their own side effects. The mother may feel nausea, constipation, have black stools and the like. Therefore, Iron Catch (www.iron-catch.com) emerges as a more effective option as it actually does not contain iron at all. It works by enhancing the body’s ability to absorb iron from the food and is thus completely safe for both the mother and baby!
No comments:
Post a Comment