This is an automatically translated article.
The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Pham Thi Yen - Obstetrician - Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.Doctors consider anemia, iron deficiency during pregnancy as an obstetric threat, so it is necessary to test for ferritin during pregnancy. The Ferritin test is a quantitative test of the amount of iron present in the pregnant woman's body to determine whether the pregnant woman's body is deficient or excessive. From there, there is a way to supplement or eliminate iron from the body.
1. What is a ferritin test?
Ferritin is a protein in the blood that contains iron. The quantitative ferritin test is a test that measures the amount of protein in the blood to diagnose the production of the protein ferritin. Commonly applied to liver diseases, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, cancer, and other inflammatory conditions.Going for a ferritin test will help your doctor understand how much iron your body is storing. If the ferritin test shows a lower than normal level of ferritin in the blood, it means that the body's iron stores are low and there is an iron deficiency.
If the ferritin test shows higher than normal levels, it may indicate that there is a condition that is causing the body to store too much iron. It can also refer to liver disease, rheumatoid arthritis, other inflammatory conditions, hyperthyroidism, or certain cancers that can also cause high levels of ferritin in the blood.
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2. Why test for ferritin during pregnancy
A ferritin test during pregnancy is ordered when anemia, iron deficiency, or iron overload are suspected. At that time, pregnant women will have symptoms such as: body fatigue; the sickly pale; frequent headaches and dizziness...Or when the mother has symptoms of myositis-arthritis; In people who are always uncomfortable, not in the mood, ... can also be ordered to do a ferritin test, because the risk of ferritin levels in your blood is high.
Causes of iron deficiency or iron excess in pregnant women can be due to:
Too much or too little iron will increase or decrease the level of iron in your body. Slightly elevated ferritin levels can be seen in hemolytic anemia, erythroblastic anemia, alcohol abuse, acute hepatitis and chronic infectious disease... Iron overload can also be caused by mutations in the HAMP gene. , HFE HFE2, SLC40A1 and TFR2. Mutations in these genes reduce the control of iron absorption during digestion and alter the distribution of iron to different parts of the body.
Mẹ bầu khi thiếu sắt sẽ có biểu hiện chóng mặt, nhức đầu, mệt mỏi,...
When the amount of iron in the body increases too much, it leads to an increase in free iron and hemoglobin levels. This can make it difficult to carry blood and oxygen from mother to fetus. Babies are born with low birth weight, premature birth, and even death. The long-term accumulation of excess iron in the pregnant woman's body will put pressure on the liver and spleen, in the long run leading to spleen failure, liver failure, diabetes due to pancreatic dysfunction. Excess iron also causes cardiovascular diseases, stroke, Parkinson's disease and cancer. Anemia, iron deficiency in pregnant women causes oxygen deficiency in organs, especially in some organs such as heart, brain... can cause severe consequences for mother and child:
For the fetus Women will be prone to miscarriage, placenta previa, placental abruption, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, premature rupture of membranes, postpartum hemorrhage, postpartum infection. Children born with low birth weight, premature birth, fetal distress, prolonged resuscitation treatment, and are more susceptible to neonatal diseases than children without anemia. Children of mothers with gestational anemia in early pregnancy have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease than other children; Long-term effects on children's brain development and reduced learning ability of children due to defects in the process of forming myelin due to iron deficiency. Therefore, doctors have considered anemia and iron deficiency during pregnancy as an obstetric threat, so it is necessary to take a ferritin test during pregnancy.
3. Steps to do the ferritin test
Step 1: Before conducting the ferritin test, pregnant women need to fast for 6 hours before taking blood for this test.Step 2: During the Ferritin test, the doctor collects a blood sample by drawing venous blood.
Step 3: Collected blood samples will be sent to the laboratory for diagnostic analysis. Pregnant women can return to normal activities immediately.
Trước khi tiến hành xét nghiệm ferritin, thai phụ cần nhịn ăn trước 6 tiếng
4. Prevention of iron deficiency or excess in pregnant women
Prevention of iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women:For subjects at high risk of iron deficiency, use iron supplements. Pregnant women need to combine a scientific diet with regular iron tablets, one tablet per day during pregnancy until 1 month postpartum. Improve diet, diversify food: use a variety of foods, especially foods containing high iron content such as meat, eggs, blood, vegetables rich in vitamin C. Combine iron with protein , especially animal protein found in red meat, chicken and fish. Adding iron-rich foods alone will not increase the amount of red blood cells in the blood. Add green leafy vegetables, potatoes, raisins, peas, pomegranates, apricots, bananas, black currants, ... are all rich in iron. Coordinate with programs of primary health care, infection prevention, environmental sanitation, and helminth control. Prevention of iron overload in pregnant women:
If you are taking iron tablets, pregnant women need to stop taking iron tablets immediately. Eat a lot of fiber, vegetables because the fiber in vegetables helps reduce iron absorption. Use foods with diuretic effect such as gotu kola, corn vegetable juice, ... to quickly eliminate iron out. If you have more serious symptoms, you should immediately seek medical attention for diagnosis and treatment. Depending on the level of excess iron in the body, the doctor can prescribe iron chelation tablets, bowel washes,... Vinmec International General Hospital offers a comprehensive maternity care program for pregnant women right away. from the beginning of pregnancy from the first months with a full range of antenatal check-ups, periodical 3D and 4D ultrasounds and routine tests to ensure that the mother is always healthy and the fetus develops comprehensively.
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