Anaemia is a condition which can affect anyone at any time in their lives, but during pregnancy, you are more likely to suffer from it. This is because anaemia is a condition that affects you when you have become deficient in iron. 

What causes anaemia in pregnancy?

During pregnancy, your blood volume increases significantly. To keep a good stock of the right levels of vitamins and other nutrients your body needs, you may need to increase your intake of certain foods to maintain those levels. There is an increased need for the iron that your body uses to make haemoglobin during this time due to not only blood volumes, but also if you have a multiple pregnancy or are suffering with morning sickness.

Mild levels of anaemia while pregnant are quite normal, however more severe anaemia can occur (usually in the second or third trimester) which can put both mum and baby at risk. This is why it’s important to keep an eye out for symptoms which may signal that you’ve become anaemic as well as having regular blood tests when recommended by your midwife or doctor to check your haemoglobin levels.

What are the symptoms of anaemia in pregnancy?

The symptoms of anaemia are very similar when you are pregnant or not pregnant. Unfortunately, the symptoms of anaemia are also very similar to those you experience in pregnancy in general, so without blood tests, it can be hard to determine whether or not you’re experiencing anaemia. 

These are the symptoms you should keep an eye on while pregnant:

  • Fatigue
  • Shortness of breath
  • Feeling lightheaded
  • Pale skin
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Heart palpitations
  • Headaches

What are the risks of anaemia in pregnancy?

With mild anaemia, it is very unlikely that either you or your baby will be at risk of any harm, although you may want to follow treatment to make you feel more comfortable or to avoid your anaemia becoming more severe.

In more severe cases of anaemia, there is a heightened risk of further pregnancy complications including low birthweight, premature labour and/or birth, reduced breastmilk supply, postnatal depression, stillbirth and more extreme fatigue after giving birth. You are also at an increased risk of infections which may lead to other pregnancy complications when you are anaemic. Your baby may also suffer from iron deficiency anaemia in the first few months of their life too.

How to treat anaemia while pregnant

After being diagnosed with anaemia while pregnant, you will likely be prescribed iron tablets to take regularly to help your body replace the missing iron for the duration of your pregnancy, and likely immediately after birth too. You may be recommended to take the tablet with orange juice, which might seem a little strange, but vitamin C actually increases the absorption of iron into the bloodstream!

The next port of call is to look over your diet to make sure that you’re getting a good amount of iron in what you’re eating every day. Usually most people get as much as they need from a balanced diet, however those on a vegetarian and vegan diets may struggle, especially in pregnancy when slightly more is needed. Ensuring that you eat a good level of iron in your diet can also help to prevent more common mild anaemia becoming more severe in future.

Some good sources of iron in the diet include red meat, pulses and legumes like beans, lentils and peas, dark leafy greens like spinach, broccoli and kale, nuts and seeds, fortified cereals and some dried fruit like prunes and raisins.

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