Often your diet alone does not provide enough iron to meet your needs. Also, the growing baby takes all the iron it needs from you, regardless of how much you have in your system. Sometimes anemia during pregnancy is caused by a lack of one of the B vitamins and folic acid. Your symptoms may not be obvious. Or you may think your symptoms are normal symptoms of pregnancy.
Anemia is diagnosed by a blood test.
Severe anemia when you are pregnant may slow your baby's growth or result in a premature delivery. Also, because you are weaker, you will not recover as quickly from bleeding, infections, or other possible complications of delivery. Anemia caused by lack of iron is usually treated with iron tablets. Vitamin deficiencies are treated with vitamin supplements. If you are still anemic even though you are taking supplements, your doctor may give you iron or vitamins by injection.