Introduction
Iron deficiency in pregnancy means that there is less iron in the blood than is needed by mother and child. Iron is absorbed through foods such as meat, but also through pumpkin seeds or dried soybeans. Iron is important for many processes taking place in the body, such as the formation of red blood cells and the functioning of the immune system.
Iron deficiency is a common problem during pregnancy and can have consequences for mother and child. Iron deficiency is a not uncommon deficiency symptom that is determined on the basis of blood values. During pregnancy, the threshold value is higher than in comparable persons of the same age, since the unborn child also needs iron and therefore the requirement is higher. An iron deficiency can also be noticed by typical symptoms such as a drop in performance or paleness. The treatment of iron deficiency should be handled conservatively and only after a prior benefit-risk assessment.
Causes of iron deficiency during pregnancy
During pregnancy, numerous changes occur in the mother’s body. Through the formation of the placenta and the growth of the uterus, a lot of new tissue is created, which has to be supplied with blood. For this reason, the mother’s blood production is increased.
Because iron is needed for this, the mother’s iron requirements increase during pregnancy. In addition, nutrients and trace elements must be passed on to the child’s blood. The blood of the child is also formed during pregnancy, which in turn increases the iron requirement.
Thus the required amount of iron increases proportionally even more than the mother’s calorie requirement. The causes can be roughly divided into two groups. On the one hand, there may be a reduced absorption of iron.
Especially during pregnancy, an iron deficiency can develop, since a pregnant woman has a comparatively higher iron requirement than someone who is not pregnant. Therefore, even with a very balanced diet, an iron deficiency can occur during pregnancy. Another cause of an iron deficiency in pregnancy can nevertheless be a low-iron diet.
Vegetarians and vegans are particularly affected by this. They should discuss their nutrition in any case with the gynecologist and possibly change their diet for the period of pregnancy or supplement it with iron tablets. Furthermore, chronic illnesses, such as gluten intolerance or chronic inflammation of the intestines can lead to insufficient iron being absorbed.
The second group of possible causes deals with increased iron losses, for example due to bleeding. Bleeding can also occur during pregnancy. These should then be clarified by the gynecologist, but are a possible cause of a lowered iron level.
Other chronic blood losses such as gastric bleeding, blood donations or cancer can also cause iron deficiency. Furthermore, causes such as a slight but long-lasting bleeding in the mother’s intestine can lead to blood loss without being noticed. Since iron is also lost, this can lead to an iron deficiency during pregnancy.
