Causes of iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women Iron deficiency in pregnant women is a relatively common phenomenon, mainly due to two reasons: 1) After pregnancy, the circulating blood volume gradually increases, reaching a peak at 32~34 weeks of gestation, with an increase of 40%~45% and an average increase of 1450ml, maintaining this level until delivery, so the pregnant women’s need for iron increases accordingly, requiring an increase of about 700mg throughout pregnancy. 2) The fetus itself needs a lot of iron for hematopoiesis and growth and development. The fetus also needs a lot of iron for its own blood production and growth and development, which must also be supplied by the mother. Therefore, the weight of iron required throughout pregnancy is 1g, and at least 4mg of iron is required daily. anaemia can occur in mid to late pregnancy if exogenous iron supplementation is not sufficient. Due to the increase in blood volume during pregnancy, in which plasma increases much more than red blood cells, blood is diluted, so that the hematocrit of normal pregnant women drops to 10g, then it is physiological anemia, and generally after delivery, the hematocrit can gradually rise to normal level. If the hematocrit drops below 10 grams, it is pathological anemia. Hazards of iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women Iron deficiency in pregnant women is prone to the following problems: 1) Symptoms of iron deficiency anemia: dizziness, tinnitus, fatigue, memory loss, and even anemic heart disease. 2) Prone to miscarriage and premature delivery. 3) Causes reduction of fetal oxygen supply, affecting fetal growth and development, prone to intrauterine growth restriction, neonatal asphyxia, chronic intrauterine hypoxia, and even fetal death in utero. 4) Poor resistance of pregnant women, prone to infection, poor tolerance to bleeding, and easy to develop hemorrhagic shock. Prevention and treatment of iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy 1) Prevention – diet therapy is important. To prevent anemia, or when the hemoglobin concentration is at 10 grams for milder symptoms, it is necessary to receive conscious dietary instructions on how to consume more iron-rich foods daily, as well as appropriate iron supplements. Meat, fish, seaweed, and shellfish are all iron-rich foods that can be taken without fear of overdose and are more easily absorbed by the body than pharmaceuticals. 2) Treatment – Pharmacological treatment with iron. If the hemoglobin concentration is below 10 grams and diet is not effective in improving the symptoms of anemia, you will need a doctor’s prescription for iron therapy. The medication is usually taken orally, but if the gastrointestinal reaction is excessive or the symptoms are severe, intramuscular injections or intravenous drips may also be used for treatment. How to supplement iron during pregnancy 1) Increase nutrition during pregnancy and eat more iron-rich foods, such as meat, eggs and milk among animal foods and beans, black fungus and kelp among plant foods. It is recommended to consume animal liver and animal blood once or twice a week from mid-pregnancy onwards, 50-100g each time. 2) Eat more foods that promote iron absorption, fresh vegetables and fruits contain vitamin C that helps iron absorption, increase the intake of fruits with high vitamin C content, such as kiwi, lemon, tomato, grapefruit, etc. 3) Use iron pots when cooking, the iron ions contained can be properly absorbed, consume iron-fortified foods such as iron-fortified soy sauce, etc. 4) Take iron preparations if necessary. If the hematocrit is above 100 grams, solve the problem of anemia through food, and if it is below 100 grams add drugs on top of dietary supplements.5) It is not advisable to supplement calcium and iron at the same time. Because calcium affects the body’s absorption of iron, calcium and iron supplements need to be taken at intervals, such as every other day or every other meal. In addition to pharmaceuticals, foods with higher iron content and foods with higher calcium content should not be taken at the same time, for example, it is unscientific to take milk and blood supplement drugs together. Iron supplementation during pregnancy should not be taken in excess. 1) Excessive iron supplementation can lead to gastrointestinal discomfort and nausea in addition to inability to be absorbed, especially for pregnant women, and can easily cause constipation. 2) Pregnant women without anemia do not need to take iron supplements daily, but can take iron supplements once a week to prevent iron deficiency anemia, while pregnant women with anemia should still take therapeutic doses of iron supplements. 3) Iron supplementation during pregnancy should follow medical advice and be cautious. Iron intake is not only likely to lead to iron overload, but also to problems such as preterm delivery and the birth of low birth weight babies.