Physiological chngs & anemia in Pregnancy

Question 1

Pregnancy: anaemia

Answer 1

Pregnant women screened for anaemia at:
-booking visit (often done at 8-10 weeks) &
-28 weeks

Cut off:
First trimester < 110 g/L
Second/third trimester < 105 g/L
Postpartum < 100 g/L

Management
oral ferrous sulfate or ferrous fumarate
treatment should be continued for 3 months after iron deficiency is corrected to allow iron stores to be replenished

Answer 2

In pregnancy there are a number of physiological changes that take place and many of these are normal.
Resp:
-Increased Ventilation rates (due to the
-Increased demand for oxygen and the
-Increased basal metabolic rate)
-Increased Oxygen consumption as much as 20%.

CVS:
-Increased Plasma volume increases which results in an
-Increased heart rate,
-Increased stroke volume and
-Increased cardiac output.
Haematological:
-Increased plasma volume by up to 50%
-Increased RBC volume by 20-30%.
-Due to this discrepancy, the haematocrit can decrease due to the dilution effect.