Anemia, or a lack of iron in the blood, affects about 20% of women during pregnancy. How will you know if you have anemia during your pregnancy? Fatigue is typically the first sign. But many assume that all pregnant women feel tired, especially in the first and last trimesters. Here is what you should know about anemia, symptoms and treatment during pregnancy.
Symptoms of Anemia
Here are some questions to ask yourself if you think you might be experiencing anemia during your pregnancy:
- Do I feel tired frequently?
- Am I getting headaches?
- Do I have trouble concentrating?
- Do I feel listless?
Food Sources of Iron
Of course the best way to know for sure if you have anemia during your pregnancy is to have a blood test at your provider's office. If you are anemic, an iron supplement of 30 to 60mg is often recommended. You may also be encouraged to add additional iron-rich foods to your diet. Some of these foods include:
- Organ meats and red meat
- Beans, nuts, legumes
- Whole or enriched breads and cereals
- Black currants (canned)
- Dried fruits (apricots, raisins, prunes and figs)
Your body can only absorb about 20-40% of the iron found in meats, while only 5-20% of the iron found in non-meat foods such as vegetables. If you are anemic during your pregnancy, be sure you have a combination of many iron rich foods to help you absorb as much iron as possible.
Ways to Increase Iron Absorption
How much iron is actually absorbed depends on whether or not you have Vitamin C in your diet, as well as folic acid. Be sure as you increase your iron sources, you also increase foods in your diet that contain Vitamin C. Caffeine reduces the absorption of iron, so plan to reduce or eliminate caffeine from your diet.
Be sure to read on for more help with a pregnancy diet plan as well as special diets that might be lacking in iron.
Brenda Lane - Brenda Lane is a published author, Lamaze certified childbirth educator, DONA certified birth doula and approved birth doula trainer.
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