Normal Hemoglobin levels in pregnancy?

[BrandiCanucks]

Does anyone know normal hemoglobin levels in pregnancy?

Google isn't helping.

I had a random sugar draw on Monday, and my hemoglobin and thyroid tested as well. Thyroid and sugar were normal, but the OBs nurse said that my hemoglobin was a little low at 113 (11.3). She said the OB would call me with further instructions, but I haven't heard from her yet.

I've been extremely exhausted to the point that I can't function properly.

Should I start on iron pills now or wait for the OB to call?

 

[blessedmomma]

I don't know what normal is, but I had always been borderline anemic or anemic in pregnancy. I would feel so run down and had some other symptoms- but the exhaustion was the worst. I started on my blood builders iron early last time and this time and felt so much better. if it were me, I would just start them. even if you were only borderline low, you will continue to burn through iron the rest of the pregnancy.

 

[Quantea]

Hemoglobin levels in pregnancy are the same as in any other time (above 12 if we're talking about the same units), it's just that most pregnant women become a little anemic in pregnancy anyways. It's common practice where I live to do monthly FBC (full blood check) in pregnancy for that reason and my last check was also 11.9 or something.

In general, 11.3 sounds a bit low but not usually enough to explain extreme exhaustion. At worst, it might make a regular person lose their breath a little faster when exercising. Many people have it constantly and don't even realize it unless they do a blood test. It's not a bad idea to take iron supplements as chances are that it's due to iron deficiency, a very common occurrence in pregnancy. Iron pills are also mandatory for pregnant women here, so I thought all pregnant women were on them, but I guess things are different from country to country. Anyway, iron supplements take months to work (iron builds reallllllllly slowly in our bodies), so it's not urgent either if you wish to wait a couple of days and double-check with your doctor. They might want to check your ferritin levels (iron stocks in your body) or they might have specific protocols in place? Folate supplements are also a good idea if they are not administered already as a standard of care. Folate and iron-deficiency anemias usually lead to different red cell markers (iron-deficiency anemia lowers MCV and MCH, whereas folate and B12 deficiency tend to increase MCV and MCH, as a very general rule of thumb). Where I live they also check for other stuff, such as being a thalassaemia carrier (which leads to low hemoglobin with high RBC count), but it's more common in Mediterranean people, so it's probably redundant in your case.

Ehm, just saying though, this is just how things are done where I live. I love giving out information, but I'm always worried of getting too carried away and leading people astray. Personally, I'd wait and talk to my OB and daze them with a million questions, lol. She will probably have more specific information for you based on the specifics of your results and the treatment guidelines where you live. It's just that there's nothing wrong with some independent research beforehand either.

 

[BrandiCanucks]

Thank you.

I think I'm gonna start myself on a supplement, at least until I hear from the OB. My last pregnancy ended with a hemoglobin levels of 67 (6.7) so it'll only get worse from here if I'm already low. I was low near the end of my last two pregnancies, but never this early, I don't think.

 

[MemmaJ]

They don't generally treat with tablets here unless it's lower than 100 (or 10, depending which units you use), but if you're having symptoms then it may be better to just treat it/have it treated anyway

 

[blessedmomma]

I would get a more natural supplement. I was at 10 with one pregnancy and exhausted all the time. they said it was borderline and I didn't need to supplement. with my next pregnancy it was down to 9. same symptoms (heart palpitations, headaches, shortness of breath, etc) but main thing was exhausted all the time again. my dr put me on the regular iron and my levels never came up... I had taken it for 3-4 mos straight. all it did was make me nauseous and constipated. I hemorrhaged after labor which they said was related. with my next pregnancy someone told me about megafood's blood builders and floradix. I started to get the usual exhaustion and other symptoms and instead of waiting for results I started the blood builders. since it's food based it absorbs better. within a week I felt like normal again. only took it for a month and when they checked my levels were 14! I've never had it that high in pregnancy. felt fab the rest of the pregnancy. I had always assumed the exhaustion and other symptoms were just what came along with pregnancy.

another thing to consider is that different dr's considered different levels normal. and the standard they use may not be what YOUR body needs. I felt just as bad when my level was 11 as 9. my dr who told me to start it at my level of 9 also said she would have had me taken it at 11 and when it was 10. your body may not fit in the little box that they say is normal.

Anywho, that's my 2 cents based on what I experienced. I started feeling the same symptoms this time and started the blood builders about a month ago. again felt better within a week and feel wonderful now. I'm not even still taking them and I get my levels checked at my next appt, but I bet they will be fine based on how I feel