blog
media download page
Essay / Iron Deficiency Anemia in Pregnant Women in Developing Countries is the lack of quality hemoglobin in the blood caused mainly by the lack of sufficient iron in the body. Iron is a very important mineral contained in foods which contributes, among other things, to the formation of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is contained in red blood cells. It should be noted that iron deficiency anemia is the most common form of anemia worldwide according to the World Health Organization (World Health Organization, nd). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay. Hemoglobin helps transport oxygen throughout the body. Oxygen is very important for the functioning of the body's muscles and organs. Once iron supplementation drops below required levels in the body, the body uses stored reserves to produce more hemoglobin. By using the Irons tank, the body is likely to produce poor quality hemoglobin or little hemoglobin. This complete use of irons leads to the appearance of iron deficiency anemia. Through studies carried out over the years, it has been established that newborns, children under five years of age, school children, pregnant women, vegetarians and athletes are most susceptible to this disease. The prevalence is higher in developing countries located mainly in Asia and Africa. Africa has 51% of pregnant women suffering from anemia, while Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean account for 75% and 55% of women affected by the disease, respectively (World Health Organization, nd). IDA can be classified as severe, mild, normal and moderate. In developing countries, it is highly classified as serious. Iron deficiency anemia is therefore a subject of health concern for governments and health stakeholders in these regions. Causes of iron deficiency anemia Insufficient iron intake Lack of iron in the body is the most important cause of IDA and the main cause of 50% of cases. reported cases (World Health Organization, nd). Iron deficiency is caused by either low consumption of iron-rich foods or high consumption of foods that inhibit iron absorption. The diet of most developing countries consists mainly of carbohydrates consisting of rice, corn, meat and legumes. Foods contain low amounts of iron or iron that is very difficult for the body to absorb. Tea and coffee are easily accessible cash crops in developing countries, both are iron inhibitors, with one cup of tea representing an 11% reduction in iron intake. A study by WHO in Bangladesh found that pregnant women ate a diet low in heme iron and foods high in phytates and polyphenols, which reduced iron absorption in women. A similar study in Tanzania found high consumption of grains and vegetables with low iron absorption. Blood loss Another known cause of iron deficiency anemia is blood loss. In women, this mainly occurs during menstruation and childbirth. In developing countries, women give birth at short intervals, which does not give the body enough time to replenish the iron lost during previous pregnancies. The needsWomen's iron levels also increase during pregnancy, which creates pressure on the iron available to pregnant women. Blood lost during pregnancy is also one of the areas where the body loses iron. In Nigeria, blood loss due to traditional childbirth has been recorded as one of the causes of anemia among pregnant women. Traditional healthcare providers did not have appropriate methods to reduce blood loss or supplement iron lost during pregnancy and childbirth (Isah A, 2013). Parasitic infections Due to poor levels of sanitation, worm infections are widespread in developing countries. Children who crawl and eat from unsanitized sources or raw foods are most affected by this cause (Isah A, 2013). Worms like hookworms and schistosomes are the most common indicators of iron deficiency anemia. The worms cause significant blood loss in their hosts, leading to iron deficiency. A global health organization in Nepal found that as cases of hookworm increased, cases of anemia also increased. Chronic infections and pregnancy Chronic infections and pregnancy increase the body's need for iron. Due to their long periods of infection, the body requires more hemoglobin to carry oxygen to increase energy requirements to fight disease and ensure the survival of the human carrier. This increased need combined with malnutrition increases the risk of contracting anemia. In Tanzania, for example, an anemic prevalence of 83% was linked to pregnant women with HIV/AIDS. Other diseases like malaria also increase the risk of anemic infections. Malaria is common in Africa and is the biggest killer of mothers and their children. Malaria infections increase the destruction of red blood cells, increasing the risk of anemia in pregnant women and children. Effects of Anemia Over infection, anemia affects patients in different ways, including: Reduced productivity The body gets energy from the circulation of oxygen throughout the body through hemoglobin. carrier of red blood cells. Anemia reduces the production of these important carriers, which increases the rate of fatigue and reduces people's ability to work (World Health Organization, nd). Reduced productivity, in turn, increases poverty levels, thereby increasing the severity of anemic infections since infected individuals cannot acquire balanced diet foods to increase iron supplementation (Derbyshire, 2010). In developing countries, where productivity is determined by physical capacity, anemia reduces the work capacity of pregnant women. The effects persist even after birth, reducing their role in economic development. This increases the level of dependency in the country, meaning few people work to feed the majority. Anemia therefore forces less developing countries to operate under capacity due to a struggling population. Heart Problems Loss of iron from blood loss, parasitic infections, or an unbalanced diet leads to low volumes of oxygen in the blood. This makes the heart work harder, trying to pump more blood around the body to make up for the lack. As the heart works at a higher capacity than it should, its muscles enlarge, which predisposes pregnant women and children born to anemic mothers to the risk of heart problems. Complications during pregnancyResearch has shown a clear relationship between anemia and birth complications. Of the
Navigation
« Prev
1
2
3
4
5
Next »
Get In Touch