Significance Of Low Haemoglobin During Pregnancy

Significance Of Low Haemoglobin During Pregnancy

Along with confirming your pregnancy comes a lot of responsibility towards your health in order to have a healthy and normal baby. Every single detail of your health should be observed and managed properly. A baby scan offers to give you the exact report of your health and your baby’s. While keeping an eye on your health, it is important to measure the level of haemoglobin in your blood.

If you don’t know, it is a complex protein that helps to transport oxygen and carbon dioxide in various parts of the body. A normal range of level of haemoglobin in women is 12 to 16g/dl. During pregnancy, a woman will need more oxygen than normal as the fetus will need oxygen too. During the early scan, the haemoglobin level is measured to ensure the baby will get enough oxygen.

But even then it is expected that the level of haemoglobin will drop during pregnancy. If it drops up to 10.5g/dl, it is considered normal. During pregnancy, the blood volume increases by 50% as it provides essential nutrients to the baby. During the 8th week of your pregnancy, it has been observed that the blood plasma is higher than red blood cells. This is why it drops, but keep in mind if it is lower than this, you need to be careful.

anaemia

 

Several things happen if your haemoglobin is lower than 10g/dl. These are:
• Exhaustion
• Dizziness
• Paleness in skin and lips
• Shortness of breath all the time
• Increased heartbeat
• Cold hands and feet all the time
• Brittle and breakable nails

You should also know that there are three different issues of low haemoglobin that you are most likely to face during pregnancy. These three types of anaemias are equally concerning.
1. Iron-deficiency anaemia: When the body does not have enough iron to produce enough haemoglobin, it is known as iron-deficient anaemia. This is the most common type of anaemia.
2. Folate-deficiency anaemia: Folate is necessary for producing enough red blood cells. They help in transporting oxygen to the tissues of the body. So, if you do not have enough folate, this type of anaemia can occur.
3. Vitamin B12 deficiency: Vitamin B12 is also essential for forming blood cells. If you lack in vitamins, it can affect the haemoglobin level.

There are, of course, ways to increase the level of haemoglobin during pregnancy. For iron-deficient anaemia, you will most probably be suggested to iron supplements. Eating green leafy vegetables and a lot of fruits can replenish your folic acid and vitamin levels in your body. So, your diet should be constructed accordingly.

So, if you have a low haemoglobin level, make sure you take steps to bring it up to level. You can also avail baby scan offers in Milton Keynes to make sure your baby hasn’t been affected due to low haemoglobin level.

 

Author Biography :- Hi, I am Valerie Carmichael. I work part-time in a healthcare facility and in my spare time, I like to write about pregnancy and mother care.