Iron deficiency in pregnant women increases the risk of preterm birth

Prof. Dr. Şule Ünal Cangül, Second President of the Turkish Society of Hematology, said, “A pregnant woman having a child with iron deficiency, completing her pregnancy in this way, causes her own baby to be born with iron deficiency. On the other hand, the risk of having a low-weight child and the risk of premature birth, which we call pregnancy complications, increases.”

Prof. Dr. Şule Ünal Cangül, who is in Antalya for the 50th National Hematology Congress, pointed out that iron deficiency is a public health issue and stated that children, women and the elderly are in the risk group. Pointing out that according to World Health Organization data, one out of every four individuals has anemia, Cangül said, “Most of these are actually iron deficiency. Especially children, the elderly and women constitute the risk group. Among women, both women of childbearing age and pregnant women have significant risks. If we look at why iron deficiency is important, we said that it appears frequently, and secondly, the consequences are important. In particular, for example, if a pregnant woman has a child with iron deficiency and completes her pregnancy in this way, it causes her own baby to be born with iron deficiency. On the other hand, it increases the risk of having a low-weight child and the risk of premature birth, which we call pregnancy complications. Secondly, iron deficiency in children has significant problems. For example, if a baby is progressing with iron deficiency, developmental steps may lag behind in infancy. They may talk later, walk later. On the other hand, the school success of school-age children decreases. In adults like us, work performance decreases, causing problems such as getting tired quickly and not being able to focus well. When we diagnose iron deficiency in elderly individuals, we need to consider some serious underlying conditions. We need to think that this individual is losing blood from somewhere, especially the most important source of this is the gastrointestinal system. Especially if there are additional complaints such as weight loss, gastrointestinal bleeding, we also consult a Gastroenterologist to examine the intestinal systems and stomach systems of these patients.”