Symptoms of anemia

Anemia during pregnancy: What expectant mothers need to know

Anemia, or low blood, is a condition in which the number of red blood cells or the level of hemoglobin—the protein responsible for carrying oxygen—decreases in the blood. During pregnancy the risk of developing anemia rises significantly, and it is one of the most common diagnoses heard by expectant mothers. Understanding its causes and symptoms helps to notice it in time.

Physiological anemia vs. Iron‑deficiency anemia

It is important to distinguish two conditions:

• Physiological anemia (hemodilution): This is a normal process. During pregnancy the volume of the liquid part of blood (plasma) increases faster than the number of red blood cells. As a result the blood becomes "diluted," and hemoglobin concentration drops slightly. This is an adaptive mechanism that does not require treatment.
• Iron‑deficiency anemia (IDA): This is a true deficiency. Your growing baby needs a huge amount of iron to build its own blood‑forming system. It draws it from your stores. If your diet does not meet these increased needs, your iron (ferritin) reserves become depleted, and real anemia develops.

How to recognize the symptoms?

Anemia symptoms can often be confused with normal pregnancy complaints, so it is important to pay attention to their intensity:

• Severe fatigue and weakness that does not go away.
• Pallor of the skin and mucous membranes.
• Shortness of breath even with minimal exertion.
• Dizziness and “floaters” before the eyes.
• Rapid heartbeat.
• Brittle nails and hair loss.

Anemia is diagnosed only based on blood analysis. For prevention, a diet rich in iron and the intake of doctor‑prescribed vitamins are important.