I am about four months pregnant, but when I visited the hospital, they told me that I am anaemic. What could be the cause and what can I eat to reverse this problem?
This is a common condition to pregnant women. When you are pregnant, you may develop anaemia. Anaemic people lack enough healthy red blood cells to transport oxygen to tissues and to your baby.
During pregnancy, your body produces more blood to support the growth of your baby. If you are not getting enough iron and required nutrients, your body may not be able to produce the amount of red blood cells it needs to make this additional blood.
Prevention and treatment
Anaemia during pregnancy is very easy to prevent, just change or make additions to your diet.
Medical professionals recommend that a pregnant woman eat 30 mg (at least three servings) of iron each day. Some of the foods that are rich in Iron include:
- Lean, red meats and poultry
- Eggs
- Dark, leafy green vegetables (such as broccoli, kale and spinach)
- Nuts and seeds
- Beans and tofu
In addition to iron, Vitamin C is also important since it increases absorption of Iron in the body and this can be got from citrus fruits and juices, strawberries, tomatoes and bell pepper.
You do not need to worry, anaemia, in most cases, is treated by adding iron or vitamin supplements to your daily routine. Typically, this is all that is needed to reverse the effects of anaemia.
However, in very rare cases, women with severe anaemia may need blood transfusion. Talk to your doctor about which supplements might be necessary for you.
