Anemia is when you don't have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to the rest of your body. Without enough oxygen, your body cannot work as well as it should, and you feel tired and run down.

Anemia can affect anyone, but women are at greater risk for this condition. In women, iron and red blood cells are lost when bleeding occurs from very heavy or long periods (menstruation).

Anemia is common in pregnancy because a woman needs to have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen around her body and to her baby. So it's important to prevent anemia before, during and after pregnancy. Your provider tests you for anemia at a prenatal care visit.

causes of anemia

Usually, a woman becomes anemic (has anemia) because her body isn't getting enough iron. Iron is a mineral that helps to create red blood cells. In pregnancy, iron deficiency has been linked to an increased risk of premature birth and low birthweight Premature birth is birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Low birthweight is when a baby weighs less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces at birth.

Some women may have an illness that