Monday, September 04, 2006
Anemia in Pregnancy
Rachael, 32 asks...
Is it normal that your blood hcg counts can be lees than your previous test in 5th week?
Stacy Says...
I'm not really sure what you're asking. Hcg is the hormone that is produced when you're pregnant--it's what the pregnancy test checks for. This test is not repeated in later pregnancy. Hgb is the amount of hemoglobin in your body and is tested later in pregnancy. If you're asking about Hgb, then yes, it's completely normal.
Hgb measures the amount of grams of hemoglobin you have in your blood, Hct measures the percent of red blood cells you have in your blood. The amount of blood volume nearly doubles during pregnancy, making it hard for your body to keep up with the demand. Therefore, many women develop some form of anemia when pregnant.
To prevent this always be sure to take your prenatal vitamins--they contiain plenty of iron, folate acid and B12--all needed for the production of Hgb. Take them with some food to prevent upset stomach.
If your blood levels are too low, your practitioner might prescribe iron supplements. These should be taken on an empty stomach or with some orange juice (the calcium helps absorption). Personally, I always used it as an excuse for my dad to cook me his famous steaks--don't know if it's medically accepted as official treatment, but it sure was tasty!
Is it normal that your blood hcg counts can be lees than your previous test in 5th week?
Stacy Says...
I'm not really sure what you're asking. Hcg is the hormone that is produced when you're pregnant--it's what the pregnancy test checks for. This test is not repeated in later pregnancy. Hgb is the amount of hemoglobin in your body and is tested later in pregnancy. If you're asking about Hgb, then yes, it's completely normal.
Hgb measures the amount of grams of hemoglobin you have in your blood, Hct measures the percent of red blood cells you have in your blood. The amount of blood volume nearly doubles during pregnancy, making it hard for your body to keep up with the demand. Therefore, many women develop some form of anemia when pregnant.
To prevent this always be sure to take your prenatal vitamins--they contiain plenty of iron, folate acid and B12--all needed for the production of Hgb. Take them with some food to prevent upset stomach.
If your blood levels are too low, your practitioner might prescribe iron supplements. These should be taken on an empty stomach or with some orange juice (the calcium helps absorption). Personally, I always used it as an excuse for my dad to cook me his famous steaks--don't know if it's medically accepted as official treatment, but it sure was tasty!
