Anemia in Pregnancy

It’s one of the leading medical conditions in tropical areas. Hemoglobin concentration of less than 11g/dl in peripheral blood.

Anemia in pregnancy can be classified as follows

1. Trimesters: early( 1^st trimester) <11g/dl , 2^nd and 3^rd trimesters <10.5g/dl
2. Severity: Mild 11-8 g/dl , Severe <7g/dl

Cause :

• Physiological anemia: there is an increase in plasma volume, RBC volume, and increase of iron demand during 2nd and 3rd trimester this effect is called hemodilution. This leads to a drop in hemoglobin concentration and serum iron with an increase in total iron binding capacity and increases in iron absorption.
  • -Physiological anemia is normocytic and normochromic.
• Pathological anemia:
  • i. Deficiency anemia eg; iron deficiency, vitamin b12, and folic acid deficiency
  • ii. Hemorrhagic
  • iii. Hereditary eg; sickle cell disease
  • iv. Infection
  •  v. Chronic diseases

Clinical presentation:

• Weakness, tiredness
• Palpitations , dyspnea
• Dizziness, headache
• Pallor on the conjunctiva, mucous membrane, and skin.

Lab test:

• Fbp/Hb
• Mrdt/bs
• Stool analysis, urinalysis
• Hiv test

Management:

Ferrous sulphate+ folic acid 1tab bd 1/12 and vitamin b 1tab bd 1/12

If Hb <7g/dl transfusion with packed red blood cells required