Women's Health A-Z Women-Related Medical Terms: A Anemia:
 What Is Anemia? A shortage of oxygen-carrying pigment haemoglobin in red blood cells. Haemoglobin is made in the body using vitamins B6, B9 (folic acid) and B12 (cyanocobalamin) along with iron. Each red blood cell contains 200-300 molecules of haemoglobin, so vitamin B deficiency can cause anemia. If a woman has less than 12g of haemoglobin per 100 mls of blood, she is considered anemic. Symptoms include fatigue pallor, frequent headaches, weakness, dizziness, palpitations and shortness of breath. Anaemia is common in women with a poor diet deficient in vitamins, those having heavy menstrual periods and in pregnancy. Blood loss from surgery or haemorrhage, bone marrow disease, hereditary disorders such as sickle cell anemia, and the use of oral contraceptives may cause anemia.
Sickle Cell Anemia: A type of inherited, hemolytic anemia that is generally determined and affects people of African ancestry. It is caused by a recessive gene and is manifested when this is inherited from both parents. One amino acid in the hemoglobin molecule is substituted, causing the disease, which results in an abnormal type of hemoglobin being precipitated in the red blood cells during deprivation of oxygen. This produces the distortion of the cells, which are removed from the circulation, causing anemia and jaundice. Many people are carriers because of inheritance of just one defective gene, and since this situation happens to confer increased resistance to malaria, the gene remains at a high level. If this were not the case, it is likely that the defective gene would be less common.
Sources Of Iron: The best sources of dietary iron are eggs, dried fruits, liver and red meat, while folic acid is found in green leafy vegetables and seaweeds. Absorption of iron into the body is quite inefficient, but this is helped by vitamin C, which increases the uptake. Antacid medicines block iron uptake from the diet. Vitamin B12 is found in liver, beef, eggs, milk and milk products, and offal, but is absorbed into the body only in the presence of an intrinsic factor produced in the stomach. If this factor is deficient, then the vitamin is not absorbed, resulting in pernicious anemia. This affects red blood cell production and the central nervous system and is treated by injections of vitamin B12 vitamin every 3 months. The treatment must continue for the rest of the patient's life. Most women develop anemia at some time in life, but it is usually easily treated.
A pregnant woman has around 3 extra pints of blood, so more of the critical vitamins are needed to make red blood cells and provide for the needs of the baby. Folic acid is required for correct development of the baby, and women with a multiple pregnancy are most likely to need supplements of iron and folic acid. ********************************************* Tips To Fight Anemia Index Of Medical Terms |
