Can anemia cause high heart rate in pregnancy?

[dreamerkr]

Hey guys, I’m 26+5 and since the last two weeks or so, I’ve been having a really fast heart rate. I went into A&E yesterday who monitored me for a few hours and on one occasion it even reached 140bpm! They prescribed propranolol 10mg and I’ve been taking that once a day. However I forgot to take it yesterday, and this morning I checked my heart rate right after breakfast and it was 126. Also, I have anemia (I got a blood test done last week from my GP), they did a full blood count everything else was fine like thyroid and all, but im anemic. Can this cause such a high heart rate? I’m on iron supplements now too

Definitely can. Happened to me. It could also just be down to the change in your hormones from pregnancy.

@AlwaysAugust thank you so much. How fast was your heart rate?

@dreamerkr It was peaking at 145bpm iirc, was prescribed 20mg propanolol 3 times a day and that helped to stabilize it.

@AlwaysAugust ive been prescribed propranolol too, but only 10mg once a day. How many weeks were you when you were taking it? I’ve been scared of taking it too because I’ve read in a lot of places that it can mess up with baby’s growth?

Also, how long did you take the propranolol? Sorry for asking so many questions!

Yes! I’m currently anaemic and it’s definitely doing something to my heart rate. Pre-pregnancy, testing rate was in the low 50s and now it’s rarely under 90. I put some washing out earlier and it went up to 137. Went for a walk yesterday and it was 167!

I’m on iron tablets now and mentioned fast pulse to GP but she just said that was normal when you’re anaemic and didn’t ask what it was 🤷‍♀️

Sorry; resting rate!

12 weeks! Needed to have growth scans every month and baby was absolutely fine percentile wise. Hospital, midwife & HV were all made aware just in case there were any complications before or after birth.

@grosgirl aww, I hope it sorts out for you soon! It’s so annoying right 🥺 how many weeks along are you?

Took it throughout the whole pregnancy, tried to come off it a few times but bpm skyrocketed unfortunately.

@dreamerkr 29 weeks! I’m hoping that once my iron levels go up a bit, the pulse will start coming down.

You’re right though; it’s miserable!

@AlwaysAugust that’s so reassuring to hear that it didn’t have any negative effect on baby. I forgot to take it for one day and my heart rate went back up to 126 🥺

@grosgirl which iron tablets are you on? I’m on ferrous sulphate and although I’ve been taking it for only a week so far (and I forgot to take it for a whole day) I do feel a boost in my energy. I hope it brings my pulse rate back to normal soon too.

If you're anaemic, your heart tries to compensate by pumping more blood around because the blood has less iron and therefore a lower capacity to carry oxygen. As the anaemia resolves, it should go down.

@RagzRebooted i hope it goes down soon! Thank you 😊