Pathophysiology of physiological anaemia in pregnancy
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Answer:
Anemia in pregnancy is defined as a hemoglobin concentration of less than 110 g/L (less than 11 g/dL) in venous blood. It affects more than 56 million women globally, two-thirds of them being from Asia. Although more prevalent in less-resourced countries, women from developed countries are also affected. Women from both rural and urban areas are vulnerable. The global prevalence of anemia in pregnancy is estimated to be approximately 41.8%, varying from a low of 5.7% in the USA to a high of 75% in The Gambia. A large number of women from less-resourced countries embark upon pregnancy with frank iron deficiency anemia and/or depleted iron stores. Anemia is the major contributory or sole cause in 20–40% of maternal deaths.
Effects of anemia on mother
Women with mild or moderate anemia often tend to be asymptomatic and anemia is detected on screening alone. As anemia advances, the symptoms of fatigue, irritability, generalized weakness, shortness of breath, frequent sore throats, headache (frontal), brittle nails, pica (unusual craving), decreased appetite and dysphagia (owing to postcricoid oesophageal web) may occur. Clinical signs of anemia include pallor, blue sclera, pale conjunctiva, skin and nail changes, leg edema, gum and tongue changes (glossitis and stomatitis), tachycardia and functional heart murmur .