#Anemia #Health #Menstration

WHY MOSTLY WOMEN ARE ANEMIC IN LIFE?

by Syeda Raiha Bukhari November 06, 2017 0 Comments

Menstruating women are often anemic. It means the body doesn't produce enough RBCs and doesn't get enough oxygen. Thus the victim feels fatigued often. Serious health complications can be a result likewise. One of the leading cause is the regular heavy or irregular menstrual cycles. In general, when the amount of blood loss is greater than the body's ability to replace the lost red blood cells, you become anemic. Women who experience heavy menstrual cycles, for example, people who have internal bleeding due to ulcers or other digestive problems are at the greatest risk for anemia.

SYMPTOMS:

Menorrhagia is the medical term for menstrual periods with abnormally heavy or prolonged bleeding. With this condition, you can't maintain your usual activities when you have your period because you have so much blood loss and cramps. If you dread your period because you have such menstrual bleeding, talk with your doctor.

Signs and symptoms may include:

° Soaking through one or more sanitary pads or tampons every hour for several consecutive hours.

° Needing to use double sanitary protection to control menstrual flow.

° Bleeding longer than a week.

° Passing blood clots larger than a quarter.

° Restricting daily activities due to heavy menstrual flow.

° Symptoms of particular anemia include tiredness, fatigue, shortness of breath, pale skin and severe pain.

° Loss of appetite, dizziness, bruising etc.

° Conditions like fatigue and weakness may go on increasing to severity levels.

° Strange cravings to eat items that aren't food as well as tingling or crawling feeling in the legs in most severe cases.

° OTHERS:

Tongue swelling or soreness, cold hands, and feet, fast and irregular heartbeat, brittle nails and headache.

GENERAL STATISTICS:

Eating too little iron and over an extended amount of time can cause a shortage in the body. Foods containing, even more, iron are required for menstruating women.

° The global prevalence of anemic for the general population is 24.8%

° It is estimated that 1620 million people are affected by anemia.

° According to National Nutrition Survey 2011;

_ Women of childbearing age 50.5%

_Pregnant women 51%

_Children 62.1%

WHAT TO DO?

As soon as the symptoms appear, you need to check the doctor. CBC is recommended.

( a Complete blood test that includes Hb level, RBC count, and other factors.)

TIBC (total iron binding capacity), as well as serum ferritin levels, should be measured.

Static tests for folate and vitamin B12 are necessary.

SOLUTIONS:

The solutions include:

° Taking iron-rich diet as liver (beef/chicken), rice, lentil beans, cashew nuts, prune juice, spinach, baked potatoes, whole wheat bread etc.

° Intake of iron supplements as artificially prepared iron-rich tablets along with the addition of vitamin B12, vitamin C, and most importantly folic acid.

° An Intramuscular dose of vitamin B12 (1000 micrograms):

-Daily for 7 days.

-Then weekly for 1 month.

-Then monthly for life.