Causes of low hemoglobin after childbirth and the appearance of anemia. Why iron deficiency anemia can appear in a woman after childbirth

In some cases, women develop anemia in the period immediately after delivery. What is it and how to recognize clinical manifestations such a disease?

Anemia after childbirth: symptoms and treatment

Symptoms of anemia after childbirth will be represented by the following clinical manifestations:

Pale skin;
The woman is tired all the time and constantly wants to sleep;
Sometimes a woman may feel dizzy, there is an increased sweating and a feeling of weakness intensifies;
Even with mild to moderate anemia, it can drop significantly arterial pressure and increase heart rate
Nails can begin to exfoliate, hair becomes more brittle and their steady loss begins;
The skin all over the body becomes dry, so-called seizures appear in the corners of the lips;
When implementing physical activity the woman feels short of breath;
Often there is a feeling that a small amount of oxygen is entering the body.

If at least one of the listed symptoms worries a young mother, an urgent need to take a general blood test to determine the level of hemoglobin and confirm or refute its decrease.

Thus, the symptoms of anemia in a woman after childbirth are quite numerous.

Signs of anemia while breastfeeding

In general, it is safe to say that signs of anemia in women with breastfeeding will be the same as the signs of anemia in ordinary people. In breastfeeding mothers, it is primarily pallor skin and auricles, constant headaches, inability to pay attention and concentrate, as well as extreme fatigue and constant drowsiness.

Anemia during breastfeeding in a mother: symptoms - what to do if she was discovered by the woman herself? The first step is to take a blood test to determine the level of hemoglobin in the blood. After that, the doctor will determine the stage of the course of anemia and from there will prescribe the appropriate treatment.

The woman herself can also take a step towards curing anemia. To do this, you need to adjust your own diet. What does it mean? Without fear of harming the baby, a woman can eat iron-rich foods such as liver, apples and beef. In cases with anemia at a more severe stage, it is necessary to start taking iron-containing drugs, which the doctor will indicate.

Anemia after childbirth: treatment

Anemia after childbirth: a forum - what can such a request tell us? Many women, having learned about the diagnosis of anemia in them, begin to worry and seek support from those who have already managed to face similar situation. In some cases, this really helps a lot morally, so sometimes you should seek advice on such forums. In addition, there really can be found useful information.

Concerning detailed information about the management of anemia in women after childbirth, the first question here concerns nutrition. It is with the help of him that sometimes you can completely and completely correct and correct the situation. It is necessary to initially increase the consumption of meat products, since we get six percent of the iron from them. Three percent of iron is absorbed from fish products, and only two percent from plant foods.

You can not use milk together with foods that are saturated with iron, since in this case its absorption will be seriously suppressed. The interval between meals of this food should be at least one to two hours. If a woman does not feed a child breast milk, she can also add beans and peas to the daily diet, if the child is on breastfeeding, is not the best option, since the children's intestines may respond poorly to such an innovation.

In addition, it is advisable to consume iron-rich foods at the same time as taking ascorbic acid, as this significantly improves the absorption of iron in the intestines. Cereals will also be a good addition to the daily diet.

The only additional comment about nutrition would be that it will be effective and productive in eliminating anemia only for initial stage its flow. If we are talking about the middle or severe stage of the development of anemia, nutrition alone will not help the cause. Need to take more radical measures, especially for severe anemia.

In the middle stage, iron supplements are required. Usually these are tablets or syrups. Most often, Maltofer foul and Ferroplex are used in treatment. Fenyuls also managed to gain recognition in the pharmaceutical market. In addition to iron, it contains B-group vitamins, folic and ascorbic acid which contributes to more efficient absorption. The dosage and type of drug that a young mother will need to take can be determined solely by the doctor based on the conclusions drawn after passing the relevant tests and consulting the woman with him.

Postpartum anemia of the third stage of therapy is not so easy to treat. Anemia after pregnancy at this stage is difficult even for doctors. If the tablets do not have the desired effect, it will be necessary to inject the funds. With this treatment, blood counts should be constantly monitored. Sometimes a blood transfusion may be needed.

In order not to fight anemia after childbirth, a woman must remember about existing measures prevent the development of a condition such as anemia:

It is necessary with a certain regularity to examine your own level of hemoglobin in the blood. This will allow you to detect anemia at an easy stage of its development and start treatment in a timely manner;
While carrying a baby, you should try to exclude and prevent diseases that can cause a serious drop in iron levels;
As soon as a woman found out about her situation, you need to change the diet, enriching it with fruits, vegetables, meat, liver, herbs, cereals;
Iron deficiency may be due to frequent childbirth. For this reason, it is necessary to maintain a break between pregnancies of three years for the full recovery of the body.

During childbirth, a woman loses about 200-300 ml of blood. If childbirth proceeds in a pathological manner, then the volume of blood lost can be large. Also, some of the blood comes out is lost along with postpartum secretions for one week (plus two to three days). Thus, anemia after childbirth is a natural phenomenon.

According to statistics, a fifth of women suffer from a latent iron deficiency, and a tenth acquires real anemia.

How does anemia manifest?

Note that there are 2 periods of anemia:

latent iron deficiency;
obvious anemia.

Low hemoglobin after childbirth. General symptoms:

feeling of general weakness;
work that used to be done easily now requires unusual labor costs;
rapid onset of physical and mental fatigue;
difficulty in being able to concentrate on something for a long time;
headache;
possible fainting.
Attention: by themselves, these symptoms can indicate many other ailments, including psychological ( chronic fatigue, depression). A blood test is the best confirmation.

Specific symptoms:

Perversion of appetite. The body needs iron. And finds it, for example, in chalk. If a person eats chalk, this is an appetite perversion, a specific symptom that indicates that treatment should be started as soon as possible. Such a person should immediately be sent for a consultation with a specialist.
Fragility of the parish and loss of the usual luster, brittle nails.
Severe pallor of the skin.

Specific symptoms - serious consequences of low hemoglobin after childbirth.

The severity of complaints and symptoms will depend on the duration and development of anemia. Also, one should not forget the age, the general state of health of the woman, the characteristics of the course of childbirth and the state of health in the postpartum period.

At the doctor's

You should prepare for the reception. A woman should describe in detail to the doctor:

How was the pregnancy, childbirth.
What complaints about her condition does she have.
Whether there are chronic diseases.
Features of nutrition. You can describe your typical diet.
It will not be superfluous to describe whether there is any established disease on the this moment And what treatment the woman passes or takes place.
Also, the woman will be required to take a blood test. The results of the analysis will indicate the degree of decrease in hemoglobin levels and the number of red blood cells.

Average indicators of anemia:

up to 110-90 g / l - mild degree;
89-70 g / l - medium degree;
69 g / l and below - a severe degree.

Depending on the results of the tests and the current state of health, a diet and, if necessary, medication will be prescribed.

About recovery

Note that our body is capable of self-healing, under favorable conditions and in good general condition. It is possible that the body itself will begin increased hemoglobin synthesis and the production of red blood cells. True, this does not always happen, especially if anemia has developed noticeably.

Before starting work on recovery, it is necessary to determine the causes of the frolicking anemia.

Causes of low hemoglobin after childbirth:

there may not be enough iron in the daily diet;
deficiency can develop for purely postpartum reasons: renewed menstrual cycle, bleeding gums;
internal chronic inflammation can interfere with the normal absorption of iron in the stomach and intestines;
breastfeeding may require a large number of iron in a woman's body.

About nutrition

How to organize nutrition if there is anemia after childbirth? It is recommended to increase the proportion of meat products in your daily diet, they are a kind of “record holders” in terms of the amount of iron.

On a note: our body receives 6% of iron from meat products, 3% from fish products and eggs, and only 2% from plant foods.

Meat products from 120 g to 200 g per day.
Fish products from 150 g to 250 g.
Vegetables and fruits about 800 g (turnips, carrots, cabbage and apples in particular).
Nutritionists also recommend eating cereals, cereals and bread. Will ideal option combine porridge with meat side dish.

About restrictions: milk should be consumed separately from other foods (especially those rich in iron). It is advisable to adhere to an interval of 1-2 hours. Tea and coffee should also be consumed less frequently, and you should not drink these drinks immediately after a meal, so as not to interfere with the absorption of iron. Coffee can be replaced with cocoa.

To eliminate iron deficiency, peas and beans are often recommended. However, if a woman is breastfeeding, then the baby's intestines may "protest". If the food is artificial - please, peas and beans have a very beneficial effect on the level of iron in the body. It is also recommended to combine foods rich in iron with foods rich in vitamin C - this will improve the process of iron absorption.

However, a specialized answer to the question "What to eat after childbirth with low hemoglobin?" the doctor can give, taking into account the individual characteristics of the woman.

As you already know, the more severe the degree of anemia, the sooner you will need medical help. Medicines should be taken strictly in accordance with the doctor's recommendations.

Conclusion

Often the treatment of anemia is a lengthy process. For three weeks, given the diet and intake medicines, hemoglobin levels begin to return to normal. In two months, a complete normalization of the level of hemoglobin and erythrocytes occurs.

Watch your health.

Iron deficiency anemia is enough serious illness. Most often, this disease affects women. The disease may manifest itself in postpartum period. At this time, the woman's body is already weakened, and a lack of iron in the blood can significantly aggravate the ailments of a nursing mother. The key to successful treatment and return wellness is timely diagnosis and adequate treatment of anemia.

Disease development factors

Anemia after childbirth can develop for several reasons.

The first cause of iron deficiency in the body of a nursing mother is a decrease in hemoglobin by recent months pregnancy. At this time, the unborn baby needs an increased supply of iron to full development internal organs. The body of a nursing mother gives her baby all the vitamins and minerals, including iron.

The second cause of postpartum anemia is a large blood loss during childbirth. If in labor activity If you have lost a lot of blood, you are more likely to develop iron deficiency anemia in the first months after your baby is born.

The third most common cause of the development of the disease is considered a rigid diet. Many women, having been discharged from the maternity hospital, want to return their body to its former shape as soon as possible. They make the most big mistake, which leads to the development of a lack of vitamins and minerals in their body. Going on a diet in the first months after childbirth, a woman endangers her health, and the newborn. The result of such diets can be not only anemia, but also complete exhaustion of the body. In this case, raising the hemoglobin level will be a difficult task.

Forms and signs of the disease

Iron deficiency anemia is divided into 3 forms of the disease.

The first stage is considered mild anemia. With this form, hemoglobin is slightly reduced. A mild form of the disease does not require drug treatment. In most cases mild form The disease is asymptomatic and can only be detected by laboratory blood tests.

The cause of poor health after childbirth may be anemia. What is anemia and how does it occur? During pregnancy, a woman becomes "more voluminous", in particular, the total volume of blood in the vessels increases, but this happens due to an increase in the liquid part of the blood - plasma. As a result, the blood liquefies: in one cubic milliliter, there are fewer red blood cells - erythrocytes that carry oxygen to all organs and tissues, that is, they participate in the most important processes of tissue respiration. In addition to a reduced content of red blood cells in the blood, a decrease in hemoglobin, which includes iron, is also found in them. This condition is called physiological, that is, natural, anemia in pregnant women.

The diagnosis of "anemia" is made quite often during pregnancy. Wherein clinical analysis blood shows a decrease in hemoglobin and the number of red blood cells. The norms of these indicators may be different depending on the method of determination. On average, the indicators of hemoglobin content in the blood are as follows: 110-90 g / l with mild degree anemia, 90-70 g / l - with medium degree, less than 70 g / l is typical for a severe degree (in many cases, a clinical assessment of the woman's condition is more important than the exact numbers of a blood test).

During childbirth, a woman loses at least 200-300 ml of blood (in pathological childbirth, blood loss can be much greater). Then she continues to lose blood with postpartum secretions for another 7-10 days. All this contributes to anemia. But healthy body can quickly get out of this situation by starting an increased synthesis of hemoglobin and the production of red blood cells. However, unfortunately, healthy women are becoming less and less common. In many situations, the body itself cannot cope with the developed anemia. How to treat this disease with folk remedies.

Causes of iron deficiency can be as follows: iron-poor diet; blood loss due to renewed menstruation, bleeding gums, etc.; poor absorption of iron in the intestine; breastfeeding and therefore a greater need for iron. Women will need advice and, possibly, treatment from specialists - a gynecologist, a gastroenterologist, a dentist, a hematologist.

With anemia, there is a general weakness, decreased efficiency, absent-mindedness, sometimes drowsiness, headaches may appear after overwork, dizziness. With severe anemia, fainting is possible. The skin becomes pale, dry, flaky. Hair loses shine, becomes thinner, breaks easily, thins out. Can be characteristic changes nails: they become thin, matte, easily exfoliate and break. The degree of manifestation of anemia depends on the duration of the disease, age and general condition woman's health.

Of course, these symptoms do not specifically indicate anemia and can be both the result of natural fatigue and signs of many other diseases. However, when these symptoms appear, a blood test is necessary.

Here is one woman's story:

“I never imagined that this could be. After giving birth, I was very tired, literally fell off my feet. I really wanted to sleep, I didn’t have enough strength for anything, I didn’t even want to eat. I thought it was normal condition after childbirth - I will rest, lie down, and everything will be restored. It did not recover, the milk began to disappear. I went to the gynecologist. After the examination, I donated blood for analysis, hemoglobin turned out to be only 95. After treatment for 3 weeks, I became like new, and hemoglobin rose to 120. There was more milk, and everything worked out for us.

To defeat anemia, the body must receive enough iron from food. In addition, if a woman is breastfeeding a baby, she is forced to strictly follow a diet in order to avoid the occurrence of intestinal colic And allergic reactions at the baby. In each case, the menu is selected individually. There may also be a need for medical treatment. As a practitioner, for the treatment and prevention of iron deficiency anemia, it is recommended to use medicinal plants and their fees.

results general analysis blood is carefully studied by both doctors and those in need of medical care.

Among the indicators of particular interest close attention, the leading position is firmly occupied by the level of hemoglobin in the blood.

For a doctor, data on a low level of hemoglobin is an opportunity to confirm the diagnosis, or to identify existing pathologies on early stage development.

As for the owners of low hemoglobin, they, in turn, receive good reason not only for treatment, but also for a thorough revision own image life.

The only problem - a laboratory study is carried out after the disease has declared itself in full voice. You can change the situation if you pay attention to the symptoms that appear in time. reduced level hemoglobin.

The close attention of doctors to the level of hemoglobin in the blood, especially when it comes to children and women, is due not only to the ability to establish the correct diagnosis at an early stage of the disease.

A decrease in its level sharply limits the supply of oxygen, which is necessary for the full functioning of all vital systems of the human body.

Oxygen starvation leads to failures of varying degrees, often causing partial or complete disability.

Expected rate

The results of a laboratory blood test indicate the amount of hemoglobin in grams per liter.

Women's, men's and children's rates will be different.

The level of protein concentration is affected by age, as well as pregnancy, when the symptoms of low hemoglobin in women are more the norm than a deviation from it.

To identify fluctuations in one direction or another helps the correspondence of the obtained data to the range established for each group.

Symptoms of low hemoglobin in women, as well as the numbers obtained in the process of laboratory tests, indicate the need for an unscheduled medical examination.

Its main goal is to determine the necessary direction for further diagnostic studies.

Are there deviations from the norm

Changes in the concentration of hemoglobin in the blood can be manifested by two types of symptoms.

The general symptoms, characteristic of both an increase and a decrease in protein levels, are as follows:

Symptoms inherent in low hemoglobin in women include:

the appearance of heart murmurs;
shortness of breath
increased loss of consciousness;
feeling of weakness in the muscles;
changes in smell and addiction to repulsive odors;
cold feet and hands;
increased fragility of the nail plates;
increased hair loss.

These symptoms may also indicate the development of other pathologies in the body of a woman. Clarify the situation and accept necessary measures blood tests will help.

Attention! Symptoms of an increased or decreased amount of hemoglobin are similar. A blood test that determines the presence and nature of abnormalities is required.

Causes of low hemoglobin in women

A disease accompanied by a decrease in the amount of hemoglobin, physicians call short word"anemia". In everyday life, another name is used - anemia. However, it does not reflect the essence of the violation.

The amount of blood remains unchanged. Its qualitative composition is changing.

Doctors determine the following types anemia:

Apart from given reasons, lead to a decrease in hemoglobin concentration:

blood diseases;
congenital hemoglobinopathies;
frequent systematic blood donations as a donor in the absence of the necessary recovery period;
lack of adequate nutrition;
diseases of the digestive system;
decreased activity of enzymes;
lack of vitamins, preventing the absorption of iron by the body;
idiosyncrasy;
chronic stress;
heavy physical activity.

Important to remember! Symptoms of low hemoglobin in the blood in women may be absent if the reduced protein concentration is an individual feature of the woman's body.

If, according to the results of the study, the indicators do not reach normal, and the woman feels well, take any measures to restore the hemoglobin concentration to generally accepted norms there is no need.

Why does hemoglobin decrease during pregnancy and after childbirth

The process of reducing the amount of hemoglobin in a pregnant woman is considered natural by physicians due to an increase in blood volume.

Also, an impressive amount of protein is taken by the growing body of the baby.

If the pregnancy is multiple, the mother has to give even more hemoglobin, which significantly increases the risk of anemia.

In addition to these natural causes, the level of protein concentration in the blood is affected by:

an insufficient amount folic acid, copper and zinc;
diseases of the cardiovascular system;
diseases of the liver and kidneys;
frequent pregnancies preventing full recovery iron stores in the cells of the female body;
severe toxicosis;
hormonal disruptions;
stress;
medications;
violations of the digestive processes.

Natural fluctuations in the amount of hemoglobin in the blood during pregnancy (the maximum drop in the level is observed at the 34th week) often makes it difficult to identify non-physiological decline and the development of anemia requiring treatment.

As a result, it can suffer both future mom, and the baby about to be born. Regular checkups and laboratory research help to identify violations in a timely manner and take the necessary measures.

If there is no reason for concern, and the hemoglobin concentration corresponds to the norm determined for recent weeks pregnancy, before childbirth, its level will increase on its own.

For a woman, such self-healing is more than important, since during and after childbirth, the risk of developing iron deficiency anemia increases significantly.

The most common causes of postpartum anemia are:

Often, childbirth is accompanied by complications. further increasing blood loss. As a result, natural enhancement the level of hemoglobin before childbirth is not enough, and the mother develops anemia.

Be careful! Application after childbirth different diets, contributing to rapid weight loss, leads to metabolic disorders, an imbalance in the work of the immune, digestive, cardiovascular and other vital systems. As a result, the child suffers along with the mother.

What is the danger of low hemoglobin in women

A decrease in hemoglobin concentration affects not only the quality Everyday life and appearance of a woman. A decrease in concentration often does not manifest itself in any way for long period time.

And rare symptoms are often perceived as the consequences of stress or overwork.

Few women will consider it necessary to immediately consult a doctor if they notice:

signs of rapid fatigue;
easy shortness of breath;
groundless drowsiness;
increased heart rate;
slight dizziness.

And such a symptom as low blood pressure is not taken into account at all.

Instead of consulting a specialist, a woman with similar symptoms goes to the gym to do intense training, goes on a diet, starts taking sedatives, or increase the daily dose of coffee to overcome obsessive sleepiness.

As a result, instead of improving the condition of the body, there are:

Some women have lips and auricles may take on a bluish tint.

An even greater danger is low hemoglobin for pregnant women.

With absence necessary treatment, a pregnant woman is threatened with malfunctions in the functioning of vital systems and organs, and even premature birth.

Symptoms of low hemoglobin in women, especially in pregnant women, are very strong and bring discomfort to life.

Which doctor to contact

If you notice symptoms of low hemoglobin in yourself, you need to get advice from your general practitioner.

The specialist will conduct a survey, perform a preliminary examination and appoint the necessary appointments. initial stage laboratory research.

If the results of the tests confirm the symptoms, you will need to visit:

gynecologist;
nephrologist;
gastroenterologist;
oncologist;
infectiologist.

Such an impressive list suggests that a decrease in the concentration of hemoglobin in the blood is caused by a previous or current disease.

Features of the treatment of anemia in women

A woman diagnosed with anemia needs to establish the real reason for the decrease in the amount of hemoglobin in the blood.

Identification of such a cause will eliminate, if possible, the disease that caused pathological changes.

Special attention refers to the state reproductive system , since chronic bleeding, or even minor disorders monthly cycle primarily contribute to the development of anemia.

Finding the cause is the first step in complex therapy anemia.

Simultaneously with the treatment of the underlying disease, it is necessary to provide:

appropriate nutrition;
conducting ferrotherapy;
prevention of possible relapses of anemia.

The therapeutic diet for women diagnosed with anemia includes:

Vegetable products. The menu must contain cereals (buckwheat, rice), whole grain bread, prunes and dried apricots, raisins, herbs, soybeans, fresh pomegranates or pomegranate juice;
Meat products. The use of veal and liver contributes to an increase in indicators.

Ferrotherapy involves taking iron-containing drugs. According to laboratory data, drugs with different levels of iron content and the presence of additional components are prescribed.

Taking into account the severity of the disease, such forms of drugs as drops, injection, capsules, tablets are used. The duration of ferrotherapy is from three months to six months.

It is important for the treatment of anemia to change the usual rhythm of a woman's life. IN this case, the recommendation is to spend more time outdoor activities and avoid stressful situations are not just general words.

Folk remedies in the fight against low hemoglobin

In addition to a special therapeutic diet prescribed for symptoms of low hemoglobin in women, and ferrotherapy, you can use the remedies recommended by traditional medicine.

Good to know! Infusions from medicinal herbs, and additional sources iron (currant, kiwi, citrus fruits, rosehip decoction) will be especially effective if a woman suffers from profuse blood loss during menstruation, hemorrhoids accompanied by microhematuria, chronic nosebleeds.

Among these infusions stands out for its effectiveness:

The following mixtures also help with anemia:

Sprouted grains of wheat (2 tablespoons) and honey (tsp). Consume in the morning for breakfast. You can add dried fruits;
Honey, dried apricots, Walnut, raisin. The components are taken in equal proportions and ground to a paste-like state. The resulting paste is used for a month in a tablespoon three times a day.

Preventive measures to maintain the norm of hemoglobin in the blood

To prevent the development of anemia, or to avoid relapses after treatment, a woman needs:

To maintain the norm of hemoglobin in the blood of women, according to doctors, no extreme measures need to be taken.

It is enough to regularly pay attention to your own health, eat useful products, follow the body. The result in the form of excellent well-being and blooming appearance worth the effort.

This video will tell you about the symptoms of low hemoglobin in women (anemia):

From this video you will learn about ways to raise hemoglobin to normal levels: