During pregnancy, the female body is rebuilt, the world is painted in new colors. A woman is full of worries about the health of the future baby. First of all, we go to the gynecologist and get registered. An exchange card is started, all data regarding the course of pregnancy and the development of the child are recorded in it. Hemoglobin during pregnancy is one of the most important indicators - because its decrease indicates anemia, which negatively affects the health of the baby and mother.
What is hemoglobin, what functions does it perform in the body?
Let's first understand what hemoglobin is in general, what indicator is considered the norm, and what affects their change. Hemoglobin is a component of red blood cells, a substance through which oxygen is transported in the body to all organs and tissues. Hb, hemoglobin in Greek means blood (haima) and ball (globus). This is a coloring matter of blood - it is he who gives the blood a bright red color.
The normal level of hemoglobin during pregnancy is 120-160 g / l.
With low rates (below 110), we can talk about different degrees of anemia:
- at 90-110 g / l - mild form;
- at 80-90 g / l - anemia of moderate severity is already observed.
- Below 80 g / l is a very severe form.
When the hemoglobin level drops, a person feels characteristic physical symptoms - dizziness, weakness, shortness of breath. A woman may faint, looks very pale. The skin becomes dry, hair falls out. What consequences can anemia bring to a child’s body? Serious enough. Early toxicosis and gestosis, the risks of miscarriages, premature birth - this is not yet a complete list, it can be supplemented with such complications as fetal malnutrition - weight loss and asphyxiation during childbirth.
Hemoglobin Reduction During Pregnancy
If you feel some characteristic symptoms, do not rush to panic. The fact is that a decrease in hemoglobin in the body of a pregnant woman is a predictable and even natural process. Why - you ask?
Pregnancy is an amazing time, but not just emotionally. In the body of a woman, restructuring processes take place: the body adapts to the bearing of a new life, the load on the heart increases. The blood volume becomes 30-50% more, as it liquefies to relax the blood vessels and push as much blood as possible. In the blood, the amount of plasma, the liquid component, increases, which helps to thin the blood. And since hemoglobin is a part of red blood cells, its concentration decreases.
That is why in advance you need to tune in to the fact that such an organism reaction is predictable, and try to take preventative measures. Especially women who are prone to anemia should take care of this, preferably when planning a pregnancy. Most often, a decrease in hemoglobin during pregnancy by the beginning of the last trimester can be expected. In a woman suffering from anemia, due to a lack of iron, folic acid, copper, zinc, or dysbiosis, hemoglobin levels may decrease even before 24 weeks. Stresses especially affect pregnancy.
Hemoglobin during pregnancy - iron deficiency
Iron deficiency anemia is the most common type that a pregnant woman is exposed to. Signs - lethargy, fatigue, low emotional mood. During movement, severe shortness of breath, tachycardia, loss of appetite, digestive disorders are felt. Stomatitis and frequent respiratory illness can begin. External manifestations - blueness of lips, pale appearance, dry skin, brittle hair. Doctors prescribe iron supplements. But besides this, you should enrich your diet with iron-rich foods.
Of course, it is easier to prevent a disease than to treat it later, especially since a pregnant woman is largely limited. After all, medications can not only affect the kidneys, but also harm the child. In addition, the treatment with pharmacy drugs is a rather lengthy process. A pregnant woman may develop a persistent hostility to drugs with iron, since a characteristic taste appears about the mouth, so you should pay attention to proper nutrition and folk remedies.
Hemoglobin during pregnancy: proper nutrition
The diet of a pregnant woman should be special. And if low hemoglobin is still detected, then it should be enriched even more with products containing iron. This is, first of all, meat, poultry, fish, liver. Among fruits, there is also a large amount of iron. Iron from fruits and cereals is absorbed only by 5-10%. But still it is worth paying attention to pumpkin, carrot and its juice, sour apples, fresh and pickled cabbage, spinach, herbs, and most importantly - pomegranate.
A large amount of iron is contained in buckwheat. However, take into account the following feature: iron and calcium together cannot be absorbed, therefore, such products should be taken separately. Calcium is found, for example, in dairy products, but in order for such food to be better absorbed and bring maximum benefits, iron-containing foods should be consumed with a gap of 2 hours from those containing calcium.
But products rich in vitamin C help the iron, which is also useful for the absorption of folic acid, which is so necessary for the pregnant woman’s body, also involved in the formation of hemoglobin. It is found in fresh vegetables and fruits. A cup of vegetables or fruits is quite capable of giving the body the necessary amount of vitamin C, while 75 mg of iron can be adequately absorbed. Use different types of cabbage, strawberries, juices of orange, pomegranate, cranberry, grapefruit for this. Hemoglobin during pregnancy also depends on vitamin B12, it is found in dairy products, eggs, meat.
So, a list of products that increase hemoglobin
- Meat, kidneys, heart, fish, poultry, white chicken. Very good - red boiled meat, tongue (50 grams daily).
- Porridge, cereals: beans, lentils, buckwheat, rye, peas, oat.
- Vegetables and greens: tomatoes, onions, pumpkin, beets, green vegetables, young turnip tops, mustard, watercress, dandelion leaves, spinach, parsley. Very good - boil or bake the potatoes with the peel.
- Fruits: apricots (dried apricots), persimmons, apples, plums, bananas, pomegranates, pears, peaches, persimmons, quinces. Very good - pomegranate, peaches, apricots.
- Berries, very good - strawberries, blueberries, black currants and cranberries.
- Juices: best pomegranate (50 grams daily), beetroot, carrot. Juices made from red fruits are best suited. For pregnant women, juices from red apples with a high concentration of iron are specially designed.
- hematogen, nuts, sturgeon caviar, dark chocolate, dried mushrooms, seafood, egg yolk, dried fruits.
In addition, you can use dandelion leaves, dried fruits.
How to increase hemoglobin during pregnancy - special recipes
Prepare yourself a vitamin and mineral “top dressing” for the body:
Buckwheat
1. Pour half a glass of washed buckwheat with a glass of yogurt overnight. In the morning porridge is ready (no need to cook).
2. Grind a glass of buckwheat with a glass of nuts. Mix with a glass of honey. There is a tablespoon every day.
Dried fruits
1. Nuts, raisins, dried apricots, honey - grind in one piece and mix thoroughly. Eat 1-3 tablespoons per day.
2. Lemon with skin, prunes, dried apricots, raisins, honey (1 glass each) - grind and mix everything. There are 1-3 tablespoons per day.
Juices:
1. Mix 100 grams of beetroot and carrot juice. Drink throughout the day (literally helps in 2-3 days).
2. Apple juice, plus a mixture of beetroot and carrot juice, mix in equal amounts, drink 2-3 times a day.
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