What are the effects of anemia during pregnancy on the baby?

If you are pregnant now and have anemia, the concentration of plasma protein will decrease, the phagocytic function of macrophages will decrease, the immune ability will deteriorate, the disease resistance will decrease, and the body will be more susceptible to various infections. These infections can indirectly or directly affect the growth and development of the fetus in the womb. In addition, after a pregnant woman's blood is balanced, the blood's ability to carry oxygen will decrease. At this time, the body is prone to hypoxia and the pregnant woman's heart rate is prone to accelerate.

Mild anemia has little effect on pregnancy. However, in severe anemia, the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity is reduced, causing placental hypoxia, which can lead to degeneration of the placental villi, hemorrhage, necrosis, and infarction, leading to intrauterine fetal asphyxia. In severe cases, it can also cause premature birth or stillbirth. Due to insufficient blood and oxygen supply from the placenta, the growth and development of the fetus is also affected. Even if the pregnancy is full-term, the child will be small, light, and have poor intelligence. Newborns born to anemic mothers have low iron reserves in their bodies. Even if there are no obvious lesions at birth and the hemoglobin is within the normal range, they often develop anemia soon after birth due to insufficient iron reserves.

Serum ferritin and hemoglobin examination in pregnant women are the most sensitive indicators. When serum ferritin is lower than 12 micrograms/liter or hemoglobin is lower than 100 grams/liter, pregnant women can be diagnosed with anemia. (On the blood test report we did in the hospital, we can see a column for hemoglobin content. If it is lower than the standard value, it means anemia)

In China, the normal value of hemoglobin for pregnant women is 100g/L. Below 100g/L is mild anemia, below 80g/L is moderate anemia, and below 60g/L is severe anemia. A hemoglobin level of <11 g/dL in non-pregnant women is considered anemic.

To prevent anemia during pregnancy, women should actively treat bleeding disorders before becoming pregnant, such as menorrhagia or hookworm disease. Treatment and recovery from these diseases can help increase the body's iron reserves, thereby avoiding anemia during pregnancy. Women should pay attention to nutrition during pregnancy and eat more iron-rich foods, such as pork liver or eggs.