Nearly one-fifth of women of childbearing age in Taiwan have anemia, the Health Promotion Administration (HPA) said yesterday, urging pregnant women or those planning to become pregnant to ensure that they have sufficient iron intake.
The prevalence rate of anemia — or hemoglobin levels under 12g per deciliter — in women aged 15 to 49 was 18.6 percent, the agency said, citing its Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan 2015-2018.
The rate has gradually dropped from 22.4 percent between 2013 and 2016 to 19.54 percent between 2014 and 2017, but it is still near 20 percent, it said.
Women start having menstrual bleeding during adolescence, increasing the risk of anemia, the agency said.
Signs of anemia include becoming tired easily, sleepiness, dizziness, loss of energy and pale skin, and the most common type is iron deficiency anemia, it said.
However, iron is a crucial mineral for pregnant women, as it is needed to produce extra red blood cells to transport nutrients to the fetus and support its development, it said.
Pregnant women have a higher recommended daily intake of iron compared with other people, it added.
The daily recommended iron intake for female adults is 15mg, according to the HPA’s dietary guidelines, while the WHO recommends a daily iron intake of 30mg to 60mg, and a daily folic acid intake of 0.4mg for pregnant women to prevent maternal anemia.
Blood loss during delivery and breastfeeding can also reduce iron levels, so maintaining a sufficient iron intake is important after birth, the HPA said.
People should eat iron-rich foods, such as clams, scallops, oysters, red meat and green vegetables, including spinach, gynura and broccoli, as well as food high in vitamin C, which enhance iron absorption, to prevent anemia, it said.
People should also avoid drinking tea during meals, as it contains tannic acid that inhibit iron absorption by at least 50 percent, it added.
Women should see a doctor if they experience anemia symptoms, the agency said.
Pregnant women are granted 10 government-funded prenatal visits, including a hemoglobin test in the first visit and two one-on-one nutrition counseling sessions, it added.
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