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WHAT IS ANEMIA?
It is a condition where the red blood cells in the blood fall below normal so the body gets less oxygen
resulting in weakness.
We are the red blood
cells in your blood. We
have an iron rich
protein called
Hemoglobin which
carries Oxygen from
the lungs to all parts of
your body
As oxygen is very essential for
normal functioning of the body, it is
important that our numbers and the
oxygen carrier hemoglobin numbers
do not reduce in your blood
WHAT CAUSES ANEMIA?
The most common form of anemia is because of
Iron and folic acid deficiency. This happens
usually when:

You lose lot of blood during menstrual
periods

You have a diet that doesn’t have enough
iron or folic acid

Sometimes pregnancy can be a cause as
the foetus and mother might not have
enough iron
But .. Aren’t
these
symptoms
too general?
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SYMPTOMS OF ANEMIA
Fatigue
Weakness
Dizziness
Shortness of breath
Pale skin
Irritability
headache
Rapid heart beat
Feeling unusually cold
True! But if these
symptoms are
recurring and you
also have a loss of
blood, or if you think
you are pregnant it is
best to check for
anemia
WHAT DO THESE WOMEN HAVE IN COMMON? .. THEY COULD ALL BE ANEMIC
Anemia during pregnancy is very dangerous
and can result in miscarriage, or still births
and sometimes death during childbirth
As women lose blood during their monthly
bleeding anemia is very often found in
women who are between puberty and
menopause
TREATMENT AND PREVENTION
Eating the right diet is the best way to treat and prevent anemia
Foods that are rich in iron and folic acid must be part of a woman’s diet. These foods are best
eaten with those rich in Vitamin C, as Vitamin C helps in absorption of the iron and folic acid in
the body.
Iron and folic acid
Vitamin C
Fish
Eggs
Tomatoes
Oranges
Green leafy vegetables like spinach
Peas
Lemons
Beans and lentils
Ladies fingers
Papaya
TREATMENT AND PREVENTION
During pregnancy, remember to take the iron pills and folic acid pill if you are not getting
enough of the two in your diet. Folic acid deficiency could cause birth defects in the
newborn in addition to causing anemia.
But I thought if I
eat the iron pills
my newborn baby
will be dark in
color like the
color of the iron
tablet?
No the color of the
pill has no bearing
on the color of
your baby. Besides
don’t you think a
baby with dark
skin is just as
pretty as one with
a light skin 
Remember to take the pill along with an orange or a
lemon to add Vitamin C to increase iron absorption!
Avoid drinking coffee
or tea with food or with
the iron and folic acid
pill as it reduces
absorption of iron and
folic acid in the body.
Space births at least 2
years apart. This will give
your body a chance to
store some iron between
pregnancies.
Drink clean boiled water to
prevent infection from any
parasites. If malaria, parasites
or worms is causing your
anemia treat those diseases
first.