Complications and symptoms of physiological anemia

Today, millions of women from the urban and rural sectors globally suffer from physiological anemia. The synthesis of red blood cells, which are needed to transport oxygen throughout the body, is inadequate when iron levels are low. What happens if the iron content in a pregnant woman's body is low?

A pregnant woman's body uses iron stores, or extra red blood cells accumulate in the bone marrow to care for the iron needs of her body and unborn child. What occurs, though, if the iron levels fall low? What happens if the body's iron stores are insufficient and the mother doesn't have enough iron for her child? 

The pregnant lady's iron stores take care of the oxygen levels needed for the developing child's body. Insufficient iron storage in pregnant women frequently results in physiological anaemia. Iron is an essential mineral that is responsible for growth and development. Why is iron so important?

1. Iron helps make the essential protein called Haemoglobin or Hb, which helps carry oxygen from the lungs to different body parts. If the Hb content is low, sufficient oxygen cannot be supplied to the body, and the person complains of weakness, tiredness, and breathlessness.
2. Iron also carries the protein called myoglobin, which carries oxygen to muscles in the body.
3. Iron also helps in making hormones.

The most frequent cause of physiological anaemia is iron deficiency. Haemoglobin, the protein carrying oxygen in the blood, cannot function without iron. When iron content gets used up in the body, and the storage reserves in the marrow run out, iron deficiency sets in. the body can't produce enough red blood cells needed by the boy for optimum functioning. The only way to artificially supply iron is to make dietary changes, take infusions, supplements, etc., recommended by a professional.

As the pregnant woman advances a couple of weeks into the third trimester, plasma volume increases, blood viscosity decreases, and haemoglobin levels fall, leading to low oxygen content. When haemoglobin levels drop, it can lead to severe consequences. Moderate anaemia often goes undetected as there are no symptoms. In this case, only screening can reveal the condition. But as the iron content keeps falling and the anaemia advances, the woman starts showing:

1. Physiological anaemia can cause acute fatigue. Severe anaemia leaves a pregnant lady exhausted and unable to accomplish everyday routine tasks. The feeling of tiredness never refuses to go away.
2. Heart conditions such as functional heart murmur and even tachycardia.
3. The fetal brain may be at risk.
4. It can affect the physical growth and cognitive development of the child.
5. Dysphagia
6. Decreased appetite 
7. An unusual craving for something- Pica
8. Generalised weakness and difficulty in concentrating
9. Pregnant women who are deficient in folate can deliver their child prematurely. The child's birth can occur before 37 weeks, endangering the unborn child.
10. It can cause postpartum depression.
11. Because the oxygen levels in the blood are less, the mother feels tired and weak. 
12. Iron deficiency causes dizziness, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat, and frontal headaches.
13. Frequent sore throat
14. Irritability
15. frontal headaches
16. brittle nails
17. breathlessness

Clinically doctors look out for changes in the nail and skin, pale conjunctiva, gum and tongue changes, pale and ashen pallor, blue sclera etc.

Under no condition should physiological anaemia be neglected because it affects the mother and child. For the safety of the pregnant lady and her unborn baby, timely medical intervention is necessary.