The hazards of anemia in pregnant women

Written by Liu Wei Jie
Obstetrics
Updated on September 22, 2024
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Firstly, the occurrence of anemia during pregnancy is very common, and most cases are mild anemia, but a small proportion can be severe. The harm of anemia comes from two aspects: one is that it is harmful to the fetus, as anemia during pregnancy can affect the intellectual development of the fetus, which is very clear. Another harm comes from the mother, such as the possibility of postpartum hemorrhage or infection. If a cesarean section is performed, our hemoglobin must not be lower than 80 grams. If it is below 80 grams, a blood transfusion or intraoperative blood preparation is needed.

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Written by Li Fang Fang
Hematology
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Which department should I go to for anemia?

Anemia is classified as a hematological disease and requires further diagnosis and treatment in the department of hematology. In severe cases of anemia, the body can be in a state of ischemia and hypoxia, which can induce the occurrence of acute cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, such as acute angina and cerebral thrombosis. Therefore, patients with acute anemia need to have red blood cell transfusions to support treatment and correct the anemia. If the anemia is not severe, red blood cell transfusion is not necessary, but it is important to complete tests like anemia indicators, bone marrow aspiration, and bone marrow biopsy to further clarify the cause of the anemia and treat it accordingly.

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Written by Li Fang Fang
Hematology
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Anemia lacks what element

Anemia is not always caused by a deficiency in elements. In cases of iron deficiency anemia, it is due to a lack of iron. Megaloblastic anemia occurs because of a deficiency in folate or vitamin B12. However, clinically, there are many other types of anemia, such as aplastic anemia, hemolytic anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, leukemia, etc. The anemia caused by these diseases is not due to a deficiency in elements, but is due to the diseases themselves affecting bone marrow hematopoiesis, leading to anemia. Therefore, it is necessary to clearly diagnose the cause of anemia in order to treat it effectively.

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Written by Li Fang Fang
Hematology
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Can anemia cause fever?

Patients with severe anemia may exhibit low-grade fever due to the severity of the anemia, where the fever generally does not exceed 38 degrees Celsius, mostly hovering around 37.5 degrees Celsius. Besides, if a patient with anemia develops high fever above 38 degrees Celsius, even reaching around 39 degrees Celsius, it is crucial to be vigilant about a possible secondary infection due to poor resistance from anemia. It is important to actively search for the source of infection, complete tests such as inflammatory markers, CT scans, and ultrasound imaging, and, once an infectious fever is suspected, to initiate aggressive anti-infection treatment.

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Written by Yue Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Causes of Anemia in Late Pregnancy

Anemia can be categorized into several different types, each caused by different reasons. Iron-deficiency anemia occurs in late pregnancy when the intake or absorption of iron by pregnant women is insufficient. Megaloblastic anemia is caused by a deficiency of folate or vitamin B12 in the patient's body. Additionally, there is thalassemia, which is caused by a genetic deficiency in the patient, leading to anemia in the fetus as well. Another type is aplastic anemia, which is caused by abnormal bone marrow hematopoietic function leading to anemia.

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Written by Li Fang Fang
Hematology
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Can anemia cause tinnitus?

Anemia can cause tinnitus. When anemia is severe, various organs of the body are in a state of ischemia and hypoxia. The nervous system can exhibit symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, and a feeling of heaviness in the head, as well as tinnitus. At this point, infusing red blood cells to correct the anemia can alleviate symptoms like tinnitus. It is also important to actively seek the underlying causes of the anemia. Anemia can be categorized based on the size of red blood cells into microcytic hypochromic anemia, normocytic anemia, and macrocytic anemia. Microcytic hypochromic anemia is commonly seen in chronic disease anemia and iron deficiency anemia, normocytic anemia is commonly found in conditions such as leukemia, multiple myeloma, and acute blood loss anemia, while macrocytic anemia is typical in megaloblastic anemia and myelodysplastic syndromes.