Are you always tired? Are you pale? Maybe it's anemia!

Do you also feel tired and just lethargic all day long for no reason? Do you feel dizzy when you walk a little or climb a flight of stairs ? When you look in the mirror, do your face and lips look pale? These are things that we often ignore, thinking, "Maybe it's because of too much work." But these could be signs of a lack of blood in your body, which is what we medically call anemia . Don't worry, let's talk about this simply.

Simply put, what is anemia?

Simply put, anemia is a decrease in the number of red blood cells in your blood. This is shown as a low hemoglobin or hematocrit value on a blood test report.

Think of it this way, these red blood cells are like a delivery service that carries oxygen throughout our bodies. The main cargo on that delivery vehicle, that is, the protein that carries oxygen, is called hemoglobin. So if you have anemia, the level of this hemoglobin in your blood is also low. If it gets too low, your tissues and organs (e.g. heart , brain, kidneys) do not get the amount of oxygen they need. That's why you start to experience symptoms like fatigue and shortness of breath .

What are the symptoms of this?

Sometimes the symptoms are so subtle that you may not even notice them. But as your blood count decreases, symptoms start to appear. See if you have these symptoms too.

Can anemia be fatal?

This is a problem that many people have. It is very rare for someone to die from anemia. Such things can only happen with severe genetic diseases (e.g. thalassemia, sickle cell anemia), if there is a large amount of bleeding in an accident, or with serious medical conditions such as some cancers. Normal anemia is a condition that can be easily cured with treatment.

What are the main causes of anemia?

Although there are more than 400 types of anemia, they can be divided into three main categories.

1. Due to blood loss from the body

This can be a sudden, massive bleed, or it can happen gradually over time without you even realizing it.

• Digestive system problems: stomach ulcers, hemorrhoids, gastritis.
• Some painkillers: Long-term use of medications like Aspirin and Ibuprofen can cause stomach ulcers and bleeding.
• Women's menstrual hygiene: Especially if there is heavy bleeding during menstruation (heavy periods).

2. Decreased or defective red blood cell production

What happens in this is that our body is unable to produce the required amount of red blood cells.

• Iron-deficiency anemia: This is the most common type in the world. Iron is essential for our bone marrow to make hemoglobin. It is caused by factors such as not getting enough iron from food (especially young children, vegetarians), and pregnancy.
• Vitamin-deficiency anemia: Vitamin B12 and folate are two vitamins that are essential for making red blood cells. A deficiency in these vitamins can also lead to anemia.
• Bone marrow diseases: In conditions like aplastic anemia, the bone marrow is unable to produce red blood cells.
• Thalassemia and Sickle cell anemia: These are genetic, meaning inherited, diseases that cause defective red blood cells to form.

3. Rapid destruction of red blood cells

This is called hemolytic anemia. This is when our red blood cells break down and are destroyed before their normal lifespan. This can be caused by certain infections, medications, and immune system problems.

How does a doctor diagnose and treat this?

If you have the symptoms mentioned above, the first thing you should do is see a doctor . The doctor will ask you about your symptoms and examine you.

Then, to find out exactly if you have anemia, you will be asked to do a complete blood count (CBC) . This is often called an FBC (Full Blood Count) report. This can check many things like the hemoglobin level in your blood and the number of red blood cells.

Treatment depends on the type of anemia you have.

• If it's due to iron deficiency , your doctor will tell you to take iron supplements and eat iron-rich foods (beans, spinach, red meat, eggs, soy).
• If it is due to a vitamin deficiency , vitamin B12 or folic acid tablets will be given.
• If it is due to another serious cause, you will be referred to specific treatments related to that cause (e.g. blood transfusions).

Do you need to be especially concerned about anemia during pregnancy?

Yes, definitely. During pregnancy, the mother's blood volume increases by about 20% - 30%. Also, the growth of the baby in the womb also requires a large amount of iron. Due to this, the risk of anemia in pregnant mothers is very high.

• Although mild anemia during pregnancy is common, if it becomes severe, there is a risk of preterm delivery or low birth weight for the baby.
• Also, there may be a risk of excessive bleeding during childbirth and a reduced ability to fight infections.

This is why it is very important to take the iron tablets and vitamins (especially folic acid) provided by the family health clinic as prescribed.