How to check anemia in pregnant women

Iron deficiency anemia is very common in our lives, and many pregnant women also suffer from this blood disease. Inadequate iron intake is an important cause of the definitive evaluation, and active examinations should be conducted after contracting this disease. There are two main reasons for anemia in pregnant women. The first is malnutrition, and the second is that they suffer from certain diseases that easily lead to ischemia in the body, which indirectly causes iron deficiency anemia. Here we will introduce how to check for iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women.

Your doctor will do a blood test during your first prenatal visit to see if you have anemia. One of these tests measures the percentage of red blood cells in the blood plasma (called hematocrit). Another test (hemoglobin) measures the amount of hemoglobin in the blood (in grams). As pregnancy progresses, pregnant women are more likely to develop anemia, so pregnant women will have blood tests again every month. In the second half of pregnancy, it is normal for your hemoglobin and hematocrit levels to drop slightly because your body's blood volume increases dramatically and the rate and amount of plasma (the liquid component of the blood) increases faster than the growth of red blood cells. Even so, though, you don't want to let them drop too far.

If you do have anemia, you may not experience any symptoms, especially if your anemia is mild. When pregnant women have more severe anemia, they may feel tired, weak, or dizzy. Of course, many pregnant women may experience these symptoms of anemia regardless of whether they are anemic or not. At the same time, you may notice that you have less color, especially in your fingernails, lower eyelids, and lips, and you may experience a racing heartbeat, palpitations, shortness of breath, or difficulty concentrating.

Once you get iron deficiency anemia after pregnancy, active examination is a must! Blood tests or bone marrow imaging tests are often performed, and sometimes blood tests or red blood cell tests are also needed. If pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia want to actively treat it, they must undergo a careful examination to find out the cause of the iron deficiency anemia.