Symptoms & Risk Factors for Anemia In Pregnancy

Symptoms & Risk Factors for Anemia In Pregnancy

Anemia symptoms appear late. If the woman is otherwise healthy, she will rarely have any symptoms of anemia unless her hemoglobin is below 8 g/dl.


The first symptoms will be:

• Tiredness
• Paleness (especially of the fingernails, underside of eyelids, lips)
• Breathlessness

Occasional symptoms:

• Palpitations - the awareness of the heartbeat, breathlessness and dizziness can occur, though they are unusual.
• Pica- Cravings for non-food substances like clay, chalk, ask, paper etc. or an abnormal appetite for foods such as cornstarch, tomatoes, lemons, and ice.
• Forgetfulness
• Inflamed, sore tongue
• Jaundice (it is a rare condition)
• If the anemia is severe (less than 6g/dl), it may cause chest pain or headaches

Certain factors put pregnant women at a higher risk of acquiring anemia in pregnancy and include:

• Twin or multiple pregnancy
• Poor nutrition (iron/multivitamin/protein deficiency)
• Smoking (it reduces absorption of essential nutrients)
• Excessive alcohol consumption (it leads to poor nutrition)
• Use of anticonvulsant medications
• Morning sickness severe enough to cause frequent vomiting
• Spacing between two pregnancies is short
• Heavy menstrual flow before pregnancy

Cite this Article ⇣⇡

Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

• APA

  Dr. Trupti Shirole. (2019, July 11). Symptoms & Risk Factors for Anemia In Pregnancy. Medindia. Retrieved on Dec 11, 2024 from https://www.medindia.net/health/conditions/anemia-in-pregnancy-symptoms-risk.htm.

• MLA

  Dr. Trupti Shirole. "Symptoms & Risk Factors for Anemia In Pregnancy". Medindia. Dec 11, 2024. <https://www.medindia.net/health/conditions/anemia-in-pregnancy-symptoms-risk.htm>.

• Chicago

  Dr. Trupti Shirole. "Symptoms & Risk Factors for Anemia In Pregnancy". Medindia. https://www.medindia.net/health/conditions/anemia-in-pregnancy-symptoms-risk.htm. (accessed Dec 11, 2024).

• Harvard

  Dr. Trupti Shirole. 2019. Symptoms & Risk Factors for Anemia In Pregnancy. Medindia, viewed Dec 11, 2024, https://www.medindia.net/health/conditions/anemia-in-pregnancy-symptoms-risk.htm.