Hemoglobin during pregnancy: norm and deviations. Normal hemoglobin levels during pregnancy and permissible deviations Hemoglobin 110 in a pregnant woman

hemoglobin during pregnancy

Pregnancy- an amazing time, the female body is being rebuilt, new hitherto unknown sensations appear, the world is painted with new colors. A woman is preparing to become a mother. First of all, a pregnant woman goes to register with a gynecologist, she gets an exchange card, into which all data regarding the course of pregnancy and test results will be entered. In each trimester, a pregnant woman takes a complete blood count, where one of the important indicators is hemoglobin, a decrease in which leads to anemia. A low level of hemoglobin can cause a lot of anxiety for the expectant mother, and this does not affect the child in the best way. Let's figure out how to cope and prevent anemia.

The danger of a decrease in hemoglobin

Hemoglobin- This is a substance that carries oxygen to all organs and tissues, is part of the erythrocytes. Normal hemoglobin level during pregnancy 120-160 g / l. Further, the degrees of anemia are distinguished: 90-110 g / l - a mild form of anemia, 80-90 g / l - anemia of moderate severity, less than 80 g / l - a severe form.

The fact that the level of hemoglobin is falling, a woman can determine even before the test. This process is accompanied by a number of symptoms: weakness, shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting, pallor and dry skin, hair loss - these are the main signs of anemia.

The danger of anemia lies in possible negative manifestations - this can lead to early toxicosis, to gestosis during pregnancy, there may be risks of miscarriage, premature birth. Also, with prolonged anemia, the child may develop malnutrition - weight loss.

It is important to know:

Don't panic

Let's clarify one question. The decrease in hemoglobin during pregnancy is a natural process. Why?

During pregnancy, the content of water and salts in a woman's body changes. The volume of circulating blood increases by 30-50% and the body has to adapt to the growing load. How does this happen? He tries to help the heart push through a larger volume of blood due to its dilution and relaxation of blood vessels. Blood thinning - an increase in the proportion of the liquid component in the blood - plasma, leads to a physiological decrease in hemoglobin during pregnancy. The concentration of red blood cells in the blood decreases with blood thinning, and as we already know, hemoglobin is part of it. Thus, our body adapts.

In women who are prone to anemia, the risk of developing it during pregnancy increases. Therefore, the prevention of anemia should be taken care of even during the planning period of pregnancy.

Treatment or prevention?

It's no secret that the disease is easier to prevent than to treat later. Of course, in the antenatal clinic you will be prescribed medication. When I was pregnant my hemoglobin level has dropped up to 100 g/l and I was prescribed iron tablets. Moreover, pharmaceutical preparations for the treatment of anemia, as a rule, are a rather lengthy process. So, I started taking these pills and could only last a week. After them, I felt the taste of spoiled chocolate in my mouth for an hour, I felt nauseous and I developed a persistent dislike for this drug. But how can it be? Hemoglobin still needs to be raised, and I figured out how to take care of myself without medication.

We eat for pleasure

For prevention iron deficiency anemia you need to eat meat or poultry, fish and liver daily. Fruits and cereals also contain iron, but it is absorbed only by 5-10%.

And yet, you need to take note of such fruits and vegetables as: pumpkin, fresh and sauerkraut, spinach, herbs, carrots and carrot juice, sour apples, pomegranate.

Iron is also found in buckwheat.

But there is one but. Iron is not absorbed with calcium. Therefore, you can’t eat buckwheat with milk, because the body will not receive either calcium or iron. In order for iron to be well absorbed, you need to eat iron-containing foods two hours before or two hours after a meal containing calcium.

Also, the body needs substances that will help the iron to be absorbed. Vitamin C is the best in this business, it also helps to absorb folic acid. The daily requirement for vitamin C for adequate absorption of iron is 75 mg. This amount of vitamin is found in a cup - broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, orange, cranberry, pineapple or grapefruit juice, fresh strawberries.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can also affect the decrease in hemoglobin. For prevention, we include dairy products, eggs and meat in the diet.

In the daily diet of a pregnant woman, fresh fruits and vegetables should be present daily. They contain folic acid, which is also present in the construction of hemoglobin.

Daily walks in the fresh air are also important. I took all these recommendations into account and after a month my hemoglobin level was 119 g/l.

Let's take care of our health. And then won't give you too much trouble.

The materials are published for review and are not a prescription for treatment! We recommend that you contact a hematologist at your healthcare facility!

When a woman finds out that a new life has been born and develops in her, everything changes for her. The body of a pregnant woman undergoes significant changes aimed at providing favorable conditions for the bearing and birth of a baby. The process of these changes should be carefully monitored in order to detect the slightest deviations from the norm in advance. One of the most important indicators that require increased attention during pregnancy is hemoglobin.

Why is it so important to control the indicator?

Hemoglobin is a specific protein found on the surface of red blood cells. Due to the fact that it contains iron, it is able to react with oxygen.

Important! The norm of hemoglobin content in the blood of pregnant women indicates not only sufficient oxygen saturation of all its organs and peripheral parts of the body, but also the absence of oxygen starvation in the developing fetus.

During pregnancy, the hemoglobin rate varies in the range from 120 to 160 g / l. If this indicator drops below 110 g / l, experts diagnose the development of anemia:

  • 90-110 g / l - mild degree;
  • 70-90 g / l - the degree of moderate severity;
  • less than 70 g / l - an extremely severe degree.
Clinical blood test Non-pregnant women Pregnant women
1 trimester 2 trimester 3rd trimester
Hemoglobin, g/l 115-145 123(115-135) 114(110-130) 112(110-125)
Hematocrit, l/l 0.36-0.42 0.38 0.37 0.36
Erythrocytes, x 10 3 / l 3.7-4.5 4.2 3.5 3.9
Color indicator 0.86-1.05 0.86-1.05
Reticulocytes, % 0.5-1.2 2-12
Leukocytes, x 10 3 / l 4.0-6.0 6.8-7.4 7.6-10.0 10.4-12.0
Neutrophils, % 47-72 68 67 64
Basophils, % 0.5-1.0 - - -
Eosinophils, % 0.5-1.0 1.5-1.6 2.0 1.2
Lymphocytes, % 20-25 27-29 25-27 25-27
Monocytes, % 3-11 3-6 4-6 4-5
ESR, mm/h 2-15 13-21 25 30-35
Platelets, x 10 3 / l 130-400 130-400

Table of hemoglobin norms in pregnant women

Low hemoglobin during pregnancy is accompanied by the manifestation of such symptoms in a woman:

  • constant fatigue, general weakness;
  • fainting;
  • dryness and pallor of the skin;
  • increased fragility of hair.

It will be useful for you to learn also about on our website.

The consequences of this pathological condition are catastrophic.

Important! Reduced hemoglobin during pregnancy is fraught with complications such as the development of toxicosis, the threat of miscarriage, intrauterine growth retardation, and asphyxia of the newborn during childbirth.

But not only the decline in this indicator makes experts sound the alarm. Why is high hemoglobin dangerous for a future mother? It may indicate a lack of B vitamins in a woman's body (primarily folic acid), which are so necessary for the normal development of the neural tube of the fetus, as well as the development of pathological processes in the kidneys, heart, and digestive tract.

Important! In addition, with increased hemoglobin, the risk of increased blood clots is extremely high, which also leads to violations of the intrauterine nutrition of the unborn baby.

What other types of hemoglobin exist?

There are special clinical cases when a gynecologist observing the development of pregnancy, in addition to standard examinations, also prescribes laboratory monitoring of the content of glycated hemoglobin. What it is?

Glycated, aka glycosylated, hemoglobin is a special biochemical indicator that displays the level of glucose in the blood of a pregnant woman, but not at the time of the examination, but over a long period of time. It is formed in the course of a slow reaction, in which hemoglobin and serum glucose are directly involved. In this case, there is no enzymatic effect on the course of the reaction, that is, the process is carried out spontaneously.

Important! The presence of glycosylated hemoglobin in the blood in healthy people is low. Its increase is typical in the presence of a history of diabetes mellitus.

During pregnancy (the content rate should not exceed 6.5% of the total amount of hemoglobin in the blood), based on a laboratory study of this indicator, you can get an idea of ​​​​the state of carbohydrate metabolism over the three months preceding the test.

If this type of examination is clinically necessary, a pregnant woman should donate blood for analysis every one and a half months. What threatens the neglect of this study? If, having a history of diabetes mellitus, the level of glycated hemoglobin is not controlled, there is a real danger of missing the onset of the development of extremely severe and dangerous for both the mother and the fetus diabetic complications.

It should also be noted that only a doctor can choose between a glycated hemoglobin test and a conventional blood sugar test.

Physiological decline

Particular attention should be paid to the fact that in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, the hemoglobin rate decreases to 110-125 g / l. This happens not as a result of the onset of the development of anemia, but because of the changes taking place in the body of a pregnant woman. In particular, during this period, the expectant mother changes the ratio of salt and water in her body, and also due to the increase in the size of the fetus, the volume of circulating blood increases. To adapt to these changes, the woman's body relaxes the blood vessels, and in the blood itself, the volume of the liquid component increases with a simultaneous decrease in the level of red blood cells. This leads to a decrease in the analysis of hemoglobin parameters.

What to do with an imbalance of hemoglobin?

When diagnosing anemia during pregnancy, only the doctor decides how to increase hemoglobin. The tactics of corrective measures depends on many factors that the specialist takes into account in a comprehensive manner. The general state of health of the pregnant woman, and the data of the laboratory examination, and the degree of the pathological process, and the presence of contraindications are taken into account.

Regardless of the degree of developing anemia, the gynecologist observing pregnancy will focus on the need to review and correct the diet. In the daily menu for pregnant women, there must be foods that increase hemoglobin.

Product Iron content mg/100 g Product Iron content mg/100 g
dried mushrooms 30-35 Rabbit meat 4-5
Pork liver 18-20 Almond 4-5
Wheat bran 18-20 Turkey meat 3-5
beer shiver 16-19 Peaches 4-4,5
sea ​​cabbage 15-17 Raspberries 1.6-1.8
Cocoa 12-14 Beet 1.0-1.4
Calf's liver 9-11 Apples 0.5-2.2
Buckwheat 7-8 Broccoli boiled 1.0-1.2
Egg yolk 6-8 Potato 0.8-1.0
Heart 6-7 Carrot 0.7-1.2
beef tongue 5-6 Fried chicken 0.7-0.8
Mushrooms fresh 5-6 Bananas 0.7-0.8
beans 5-6 egg white 0.2-0.3
  • Lean meat (preference should be given to beef) and offal (tongue, liver, heart, kidneys).
  • All types of legumes, various types of cereals (primarily buckwheat).
  • Of the nuts, it is best to opt for walnuts, since they have the maximum iron content.
  • Fresh vegetables, herbs, fruits and berries (all are useful).
  • Natural chocolate (but only in small quantities).
  • Seaweed, cod liver, black caviar.
  • All kinds of dried fruits.
  • Egg yolk.

Important! Do not forget about the need for all products that a pregnant woman consumes to be fresh and of high quality.

Glycated hemoglobin during pregnancy is a type of protein responsible for transporting blood through the vessels. The decrease leads to the development of anemia (anemia) in the 2nd trimester. The determination of the level of the substance is carried out through a special analysis that reveals the level of red blood cells that are the carrier of the protein. Further, drugs may be prescribed to increase the level.

Very low Healthy and delicious to level up
fishy delight treated with peaches


Anemia in pregnant women is common. Ignoring leads to significant problems for the mother and fetus. It is dangerous to lower hemoglobin during pregnancy in the first trimester, when the formation of the organs of the fetus occurs. Rarely occurs in late pregnancy, so fetal hypoxia develops.

The norm of the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin during pregnancy in the second trimester is in the range of 120-160 grams per liter of blood, which is typical for absolutely healthy women. An indicator of at least 110 hemoglobin per liter of blood during pregnancy does not create complications. If the level is below the specified norms, then the situation is considered to be anemia.

When very low

There are three degrees of anemia in pregnancy.

  1. A mild form of a decrease in hemoglobin during pregnancy in the range of 105-90 g / l.
  2. Average: hemoglobin during pregnancy in the range of 90-70 g / l.
  3. Severe below 70 g/l.

Approximately 50% of pregnant women have low hemoglobin levels - 92, 93, 95, etc. The problem is successfully solved. It is strongly recommended to carry out all prescribed tests and take medications in a timely manner. You can also visit forums for women with low pregnancy rates to support treatment. Hematogen during pregnancy with low hemoglobin may help some women.

Downgrade symptoms

What threatens low glycosylated hemoglobin during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester? Malaise contribute to the rapid detection of pathology and the appointment of appropriate treatment.

Signs of pathology include the following:

  • bluish lips, nostrils, mucous membranes, bruises under the eyes are sharply formed;
  • constant weakness, nausea, ringing in the ears;
  • dizziness, darkening in the eyes;
  • fainting;
  • tachycardia;
  • migraine;
  • palpitations, shortness of breath;
  • sleep disturbance;
  • pallor of the skin;
  • fragility of nails;
  • hair loss and brittleness;
  • lack of appetite;
  • chair problems.

Reasons for the downgrade

The main reason for the decrease in red blood cells is the rapid increase in the amount of blood. Hemoglobin does not have time to develop and the level drops sharply. Anemia most often occurs in women carrying twins or triplets.

Tomato juice will help increase hemoglobin levels

The lack of red blood cells leads to a lack of trace elements: copper, folic acid, B vitamins. Deficiency leads to poor absorption of iron. Other common reasons include:

  • diseases of the liver, kidneys, cardiovascular system;
  • toxicosis, useful substances do not have time to be absorbed;
  • a short break between conceptions, it takes three years to restore the level of the substance;
  • hormonal disbalance;
  • dysbacteriosis;
  • nervous exhaustion.

Possible Complications

A low level usually develops before 34 weeks. Before this period, treatment is not required. However, the development of severe anemia requires immediate medical intervention.

Why is low hemoglobin dangerous during pregnancy? The following pathologies are formed:

  1. Weak tribal forces.
  2. premature birth.
  3. Intrauterine fetal hypoxia.
  4. late toxicosis.
  5. External bleeding.

What is dangerous for the child? The consequences for the child at a low level of the substance are the death of the fetus on the first day after birth.

Useful and tasty

Increased level - the other side of the coin

A high rate leads to erythrocytosis, which causes blood clots, varicose veins, the birth of a dead child, fetal death in the womb, intestinal obstruction, and pathology of the cardiovascular system. It is important to prescribe treatment in a timely manner. What to do in this case? Therapy is prescribed only by the attending physician.

A high level allows you to determine the level of sugar in the blood. The norm of hemoglobin during pregnancy is 6%. If the level is in the range of 6-6.5 - a high risk of diabetes. More than 6.5% indicates the presence of diabetes.

Treatment and prevention of the problem

Fish Delight

What increases hemoglobin during pregnancy? To avoid the disease, it is necessary to follow the rules of nutrition, take iron-containing complexes of vitamins and minerals. You should also make time for walks and physical activity. What is recommended to take? To increase hemoglobin during pregnancy, the following products are recommended:

  • red meat;
  • fatty sea fish;
  • cereals, whole grain bread;
  • starchy vegetables: potatoes, beets, carrots;
  • nuts and dried fruits;
  • mushrooms;
  • apples, peaches, pomegranates, persimmons.

During pregnancy, many factors affect its course. Therefore, at the very beginning, and then several more times in the process of carrying it, women take a general blood test, in which one of the main indicators is the level of hemoglobin.

Hemoglobin is an integral part of red blood cells, it is responsible for the circulation of oxygen in the blood from the respiratory organs to the tissues. In addition, with the help of hemoglobin, carbon dioxide is also transported from tissues to the respiratory organs.

The concentration of hemoglobin in human blood plays an important diagnostic role: according to this indicator, the doctor can judge the well-being of the state of the body of his patient. And during pregnancy, the level of hemoglobin becomes even more important.

The norm of hemoglobin during pregnancy:

In a healthy person, the hemoglobin level should be 120-140 g / l. However, during pregnancy, it can naturally decrease: the blood thins, its volumes increase significantly, and so on, which leads to a decrease in the concentration of hemoglobin in it. In a word, its level in the blood can fluctuate, which is quite normal for pregnant women. Experts provide the following figures for the quantitative norm of hemoglobin for pregnant women:

  • in the first trimester - 112-160 g / l;
  • in the second trimester - 108-144 g / l;
  • in the third trimester - 100-140 g / l.

Gynecologists and obstetricians recommend that all newly pregnant women and women planning to conceive take care of preventing a decrease in the level of hemoglobin in the blood during the period of bearing a child, because at this time women often develop anemia.

It happens much less often when the level of hemoglobin in the blood of the expectant mother exceeds the permissible threshold.

- high hemoglobin

It is not at all necessary that an elevated hemoglobin level is an alarming sign. Sometimes in pregnant women this happens in the first trimester and then goes away on its own, when the fetus begins to actively take from the mother's body the resources necessary for its growth and development. Also, you should not worry if the increase in this indicator is insignificant and is observed once. It will be useful to know that high physical activity and intense intake of rarefied air (as, for example, among residents of high mountain regions) contribute to a natural increase in the level of hemoglobin in the blood. But sometimes this trend is associated with trouble on the part of the mother's body.

An increase in hemoglobin may indicate a lack of certain substances in the body of a pregnant woman, in particular vitamins B9 (folic acid) and B12. The latter may simply not be absorbed due to disruption of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract.

High hemoglobin can be a symptom of diseases of the kidneys, heart, intestines or stomach. Although, it is possible that this is a hereditary feature of the woman's body.

This condition is a risk factor for the formation of blood clots, which is highly undesirable during pregnancy. Also, due to thickening of the blood at a high level of hemoglobin, it is not able to circulate normally in the vessels, due to which oxygen and nutrients may not reach the fetus in the right amount. And therefore, the doctor, most likely, will advise the pregnant woman to walk more in the fresh air, adjust her diet and drinking regimen.

An elevated hemoglobin level is said to be when it exceeds 150-160 g / l. However, more often the concentration of hemoglobin during pregnancy decreases.

- low hemoglobin

Very often, hemoglobin in pregnant women decreases somewhat by the end of the second, by the beginning of the third trimester - this is normal. But if you notice that the level begins to decline before the 24th week of pregnancy, then this indicates anemia. There are many reasons for this phenomenon: lack of iron, zinc, copper, as well as dysbacteriosis and nervous stress.

Doctors say about the development of anemia in a pregnant woman if the level of hemoglobin in her blood falls below 110 g / l. Most often, iron deficiency anemia develops in pregnant women, provoked by insufficient intake or insufficient own supply of iron. Approximately half of all pregnant women have low hemoglobin levels in the blood.

Depending on its concentration, several degrees of iron deficiency anemia are distinguished:

  • 110-90 g / l - mild degree of anemia;
  • 90-80 g / l - anemia of moderate severity;
  • 70 g / l and below - a severe form of anemia.

A low level of hemoglobin leads to lethargy, a constant feeling of fatigue and a decrease in emotional tone. Further, it is even worse - shortness of breath, muscle hypotension, loss of appetite, indigestion appear. In addition, stomatitis, brittle hair and nails, dry skin, frequent respiratory diseases are possible. All these signs and phenomena indicate a lack of iron in the body. It is very important for a pregnant woman to replenish this deficit, the sooner. After all, subsequently, not only she suffers, but also her unborn child. A reduced level of hemoglobin can provoke the development of early toxicosis and late gestosis, premature onset of labor, and also often causes a lack of oxygen for the baby, which causes intrauterine hypoxia, and after birth, the baby may experience difficulties in the respiratory system and have insufficient body weight.

Products that increase hemoglobin during pregnancy

To correct the level of hemoglobin in the blood, consult a doctor: let him prescribe iron-containing preparations to correct the level of hemoglobin. But it is best to make up for the deficiency with the help, especially since there are a lot of products that increase hemoglobin levels:

  1. Among the meat products: heart, kidneys, fish, poultry, tongue, white chicken meat;
  2. Among cereals and cereals: buckwheat, beans, lentils, peas, rye;
  3. Among vegetables and herbs: fresh tomatoes, potatoes, onions, pumpkin, beets, watercress, dandelion leaves, spinach, parsley;
  4. Among fruits: red or green apples, plums, persimmons, bananas, pears, peaches, apricots, quince
  5. Among the berries: blackcurrant and cranberries, strawberries, blueberries;
  6. Juices include:(no more than two sips daily), beetroot, apple juice with a high iron content.
  7. Besides perfectly raise the level of hemoglobin, black and caviar, various seafood, dark chocolate, dried mushrooms, dried fruits and hematogen.

To achieve the result, do not forget about, constantly do breathing exercises and gymnastics.

Finally, I would like to add a few rules for the proper assimilation of food so that it brings maximum benefit to the body.

First, remember that iron is best absorbed when consumed with foods that are rich in vitamin C, such as fruit and vegetable juices. To do this, it is better to pour the porridge that you eat for breakfast with orange juice or, for example, pour cutlets that you eat for lunch.

Secondly, do not drink black tea, it interferes with the proper absorption of iron. It is better to replace this tea with green tea.

Thirdly, during pregnancy, do not eat the liver, because it contains a lot of vitamins A and D. An overdose of these vitamins is possible.

Also, limit your intake of pomegranate juice as it can cause constipation.

In any case, it is better not to overdo it, because an excess of iron is as undesirable as its deficiency.

Especially for- Maryana Surma