HEALTH MATTERS: ARE WOMEN THE CAUSE OF ANEMIA?

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By Esther Akinmade

Pregnancy is not a disease, why should I take pills while I am pregnant? 

 

Women are beginning to ignore the expert advice on the taking of prenatal vitamins supplements. 

It is recommended that women take iron supplement, folic acid and other prenatal vitamins every day during the period you are Trying To Conceive(TTC) and if a woman didn’t do that, it is advisable to start when she finds out she is pregnant in order to reduce the risks of prematurity and low birth weight.

Despite these recommendations, one third of women have been reportedly not taking iron supplements and other prenatal vitamins. In my writing today, I will dwell more on Anemia; Iron deficiency.

Proper nutrition is important for your baby’s health, and your baby depends on you for all of his or her nutritional needs, which includes important vitamins, supplements, and minerals that are necessary for embryonic and fetal development. Ideally, if you eat a healthy diet [adequate food source] it should provide all of your growing baby’s nutritional needs with the exception of vitamins D and folic acid. 

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According to German health authorities, pregnant or breastfeeding women need 20 to 30 mg of iron per day. It can be more difficult for vegetarians to get that amount of iron in their diet alone that is why the expert advises taking iron supplement during TTC and during pregnancy.  These vitamins and minerals include folic acid [folate], calcium, iron, vitamins A, E, C, B Zinc, Magnesium, and thiamine. In my write up today, I will dwell more on iron supplement.

Anemia Guide: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Options

Anemia is a condition in which the number of red blood cells or the haemoglobin concentration within them is lower than normal. Haemoglobin is needed to carry oxygen and if you have too few or abnormal red blood cells, or not enough haemoglobin, there will be a decreased capacity of the blood to carry to the body’s tissues.  Iron deficiency-anemia is extremely common, particularly in the developing world, reaching a state of global epidemic. 

Iron deficiency during pregnancy is one of the leading causes of anemia in infants and young children. Many women go through the entire pregnancy without attaining the minimum required intake of iron.

Iron deficiency anemia has also been shown to affect cognitive and physical development in children and reduce productivity in adults. Anemia is an indicator of both poor nutrition and poor health. It is problematic on its own, but it can also impact other global nutritional concerns such as stunting and wasting, low birth weight and childhood overweight and obesity due to lack of energy to exercise. School performance in children and reduced work productivity in adults due to anemia can have further social and economic impacts for the individual and family.  

Speaking to some pregnant women, pregnancy supplements such as iron, folic acid and the rest of them have become a huge task for them. A lot of them laid emphasis on how difficult it is to take the pills every day for 9 month. Some say Iron pills have a bad taste because they are known to have a distinct metallic flavor that makes women undergo nausea or increase the rate during pregnancy, constipation, gastritis and the rest of them. Iron supplement during pregnancy makes morning sickness worse.

Some women often forget to take their pills, they get busy with the activities of the day either in the office or in their place of business. In my course of speaking to pregnant women, one of them told me she conceives naturally then she does not need a prenatal supplement for her baby to grow. It is sad that some women still lack knowledge despite being in the 21st century where there is information on the internet, books and the rest of them, women like this do not care how healthy their child is from the womb. Mother to child care should start from the womb.

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Pregnancy is not a disease, why should I take pills while I am pregnant? These are some of the silly excuses from women.  Sometimes important influencers in the lives of pregnant women [such as mother, mother in law, or neighbour] may advise them against taking pills. They tend to make reference to those days when they were given birth, forgetting that the food they eat in those days are quite better than what we are eating now.

Women both pregnant and non-pregnant ones should be aware that pregnancy is associated with increased iron demand, and therefore, increase the risk of iron deficiency anemia. Up to 52% of pregnant women in the developing world are affected. Lowered iron stored in their newborn baby will increase the risk of subsequent iron deficiency anemia. Prematurity and early weaning off breastfeeding increases the risk further, because of reduced iron stores. 

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Women should help save the lives of our unborn children from Anemia by simply listening to their doctors and following their instructions.

Read Also: HEALTH MATTERS: Access to Legal and Safe Abortion

The following can cause Anemia;

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  • Poor diet consistently low in iron and vitamins such as folate which increase the risk of developing anemia
  • Intestinal disorders that affect the absorption of nutrients in the small intestine, such as Crohn’s disease and Celiac disease
  • Menstrual disorders with increased blood loss — women are at greater risk of iron deficiency anemia because of blood loss during menstrual periods, especially for those with heavy periods
  • Pregnancy increases the risk of iron deficiency anemia because of increased blood volume during pregnancy, as well as developmental demands from the growing foetus
  • Chronic conditions like cancer, kidney or liver failure and rheumatoid arthritis increase the risk of developing anemia of chronic disease
  • Family history of inherited anemia also increases the risk of developing anemia

 

Anemia is diagnosed based on medical history, physical examination, blood tests such as peripheral smear and full blood count (FBC) and other blood indices, bone marrow biopsy to confirm the diagnosis in more difficult cases depending on your doctor’s prescription. 

 

 

Anemia Treatment

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Types of anemia treatment depends on specific anemia causes.

  • Iron deficiency anemia is treated with iron supplements or with blood transfusion, in severe cases 
  • Vitamin deficiency anemia such as Pernicious anemia is treated with Vitamin B-12 injections and folic acid deficiency anemia is treated with folic acid supplements
  • Anemia of chronic disease has no specific treatment for anemia symptoms alone, as iron supplements and vitamins are generally ineffective
  • Aplastic anemia treatment may include blood transfusions to boost red blood cell count, or a bone marrow transplant
  • Haemolytic anemia treatment includes taking drugs that suppress the immune system such as steroids or gamma globulin and the removal of an enlarged spleen, if necessary
  • Sickle cell anemia treatment includes blood transfusions, folic acid supplements, antibiotics, bone marrow transplant and cancer drugs, such as hydroxyurea for adults

 

Prevent Iron deficiency anemia and vitamin deficiency anemia by eating a healthy diet that includes foods rich in iron, folate and vitamin B-12.

The best sources of iron are: beef and other red meats, beans, lentils, iron-fortified cereals, dark green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, nuts and seeds

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Folate can be found in citrus juices and fruits, dark green leafy vegetables, legumes and fortified breakfast cereals, while Vitamin B-12 is found in meat and dairy products.

Take iron supplements for iron deficiency anemia as recommended by your doctor. Vitamin C may be given together with iron tablets as it helps in its absorption.   Vegans can consume non-haem iron from sources such as green leafy vegetables and fruits, which are also rich in Vitamin C to maximize their iron absorption. They can also get alternative sources of iron from beans (seg, bean products such as beans, tempeh, lentils, tofu, chick peas), whole-grains, nuts and seeds.

Even then, iron intake may not be enough especially for women, whose average recommended daily allowance (RDA) for iron is 19mg. Vegans should talk to their doctors about iron supplements if they suspect they may be lacking the nutrient.

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In conclusion, adequate iron intake is crucial for healthy pregnancy. However, adequate nutrition may not be possible in many developing countries. Iron supplementation should be considered early in these cases. 

There is an increasing need for public health strategies to educate the population as to the need for a healthy diet and iron supplementation before conception, or at least at the beginning of the pregnancy. Integrating this information into educational curricula, pre-marital counselling, and prenatal care is needed. Mothers should receive appropriate nutritional advice and supplementation at their first point of contact with healthcare professionals

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