Awareness About Anaemia
Anaemia is a condition that occurs when there is lack of haemoglobin or healthy red blood cells in the blood
Most symptoms of anaemia (a condition usually caused due to iron deficiency in the blood) like fatigue, dizziness, and headaches are often misattributed to a stressful lifestyle as women these days are always busy – rushing from a PTA meeting to a client briefing to the grocery store to a family dinner and so on. Hence, there’s no time to take a breath and focus on oneself, especially on one’s physical health. As a result, it has become common for women to suffer from and live with mild anaemia for years, without even realizing it.
The Disease And Symptoms
Anaemia is a condition that occurs when there is lack of haemoglobin or healthy red blood cells in the blood. Haemoglobin is the main component of the RBCs that binds oxygen into the blood stream and the body needs the mineral iron, to create this haemoglobin. If one lacks a sufficient amount of RBC or haemoglobin is below normal, the cells ¡n the body remain deprived of oxygen.
Symptoms of anaemia like weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath, cold hands and feet, irregular heartbeats, brittle nails, and pale skin occur because the organs are unable to function properly, as they remain deprived of what they need. However, this mild condition can be easily fixed with the help of medicinal supplements and diet adjustments.
One In Two Indian Women Are Anaemic Anaemia
Is one of the most common health concerns in Indian women and the fact Is revealed by an independent data analysis report of over 2,18,200 samples taken from across the country With over 50 per cent samples showing signs of anaemia, lab diagnostics revealed that 90.4 per cent were mildly anaemic, nine per cent were moderately anaemic and 0.6 per cent pointed towards severe anaemia. While iron deficiency-induced anaemia and pregnancy are two of the largest causes of mild and moderate anaemia, some cases of severe anaemia may have serious underlying causes, which may affect a person’s quality of life. These include beta thalassemia, macrocytic anaemia and other chronic diseases with permanent consequences.
While a routine blood tests like Complete Blood Cell (CBC) count can give you an overall picture on the status of haemoglobin and RBC components, it ¡s important to undergo a thorough diagnosis to find out the exact cause of anaemia. Other causes of anaemia may include internal bleeding and the body’s inability to absorb Iron. Whatever the cause, it is important to get diagnosed early on to avoid further complications and correct the condition, if possible.
Those At A Higher Risk
According to the study, a majority of women in the age group of 18-45 years were detected with various types of anaemia, including severe anaemia. People who are at most risk of developing anaemia are women of childbearing age, those with an inadequate diet, pregnant women, frequent blood donors, prematurely born children, or ¡nf ants and those who lack iron-rich food in their diet.
The study also revealed that 8.4 per cent of the samples indicated beta thalassemia, a serious genetic disorder, as the cause of anaemia. Screening tests become crucial in such cases because the condition is hereditary and children afflicted with beta-thalassemia may fail to thrive and grow normally. Hence, it is important for all women to undergo thorough screening and seek professional medical help if their health symptoms indicate anaemia.