What is the effect of severe anaemia on unborn baby?

[koalabear]

What is the effect of severe anaemia on unborn baby?

And does taking iron tablets effect the unborn baby in any way?

Iron tablets are often given in pregnancy so I'm sure they're safe. I'm also fairly sure the baby will take all the iron it needs from its mother and that its the mother who suffers (feeling weak, tired etc). I nearly had to have a blood transfusion after a large blood loss having ds2 but they ended up just giving me iron tablets (I think they give injections if you are really low).

PS they really make you constipated! Take lots of fluid, fibre and lactolose!

severe anaemia effects you long before it effects baby. The baby takes all your iron levels and so it takes a long time before baby becoems aneamic. Iron tablets are harmless, laods of ppl need them, and it makes you feel heaps better, as aneamia can make you very lethargic.

thanks

I recommend spatone liquid iron in sachets... mix it with fresh orange juice, and drink it.

It is a gentle iron boost, and is less likely to make you consitpated.

btw, I did have transfusions cos of it as I couldn't keep the tablets down, and they were going to keep me in if levels weren't good enough, so do take the tablets!

what levels are considered normal, and not normal?

koalabear- I've just seen your thread on this and you asking about levels etc. When I had DD1, at around 25wks pg, I started having terrible dizzy spells and put it down to hot weather at the time. My midwife had taken some blood as routine to check my iron levels and I did mention I'd been feeling hot and bothered. She said to wear looser clothes etc. What we didn't know was that the haematology dept. at the hospital had found that my iron levels were low but hadn't bothered to contact her. At my next midwife visit, she rang the dept. to find out the results, and I think it was 10.6. She said something like if it had been another point down (10.5?), I'd have been in hospital having a blood transfusion. Luckily she gave me iron tablets and that sorted out the dizzy spells.

petunia - thanks - my number yesterday was 8 - they said "severe aenemia" but I didn't know whether that was just a clinical name for a "bit lower than normal" - they gave me tablets and sent me home

at least i know why i've been feeling so yucky

After I had ds my iron level was 7....apparently if they had spotted it a few hours later I would have had a transfusion.

Koalabear that does sound low, but I think it is all relative. At my 36 week bloods with ds2 my hb was about 12 which is good. After delivery it fell to around 8 which they said was a lot for me to lose. I was fine on ordinary iron tabs and a lot of prunes!

Poor you koalabear, hope you feel better soon. I think the tablets take a couple of days to work and then you'll feel OK. Your midwife will probably do another blood test at your next visit to make sure your iron levels have come up. My midwife also told me to eat apricots, which I did with DD1 but by the time I had DD2, I couldn't stand them! So I just let the iron tablets do their work!