The dangers of chronic lack of energy during pregnancy & bull; hello healthy

Nutritional status is an important aspect to determine whether a pregnant mother can pass her pregnancy well and without any disturbances. The nutritional status of pregnant women must be normal, because when the pregnant woman experiences malnutrition or excess nutrition there will be many complications that may occur during pregnancy and have an impact on the health of the fetus she is carrying. One of the nutritional problems of pregnant women is chronic energy deficiency (KEK). What is chronic lack of energy? Is it dangerous for mother and fetus? What caused SEZs to occur?

What is chronic energy deficiency (KEK)?

Chronic energy deficiency (KEK) is a nutritional problem caused by lack of food intake for a long time, a matter of years. Chronic energy deficiency (KEK) usually occurs in women of childbearing age, namely women aged 15-45 years.

A person who has KEK usually has less nutritional status. Chronic energy deficiency can be measured by knowing a person's upper arm circumference and body mass index. Mothers who have an upper arm circumference that is less than 23.5 cm can be said to have chronic malnutrition.

What causes chronic energy deficiency in pregnant women?

There are several factors that can cause a pregnant woman to experience chronic malnutrition, namely:

1. Food intake that is not as needed

Pregnant women need more food intake, unlike normal women their age. This food intake will determine the nutritional status of pregnant women. When pregnant women do not meet their energy needs, the fetus they are carrying will also experience malnutrition. This makes fetal growth and development stunted.

2. The age of pregnant women is too young or old

Age affects the nutritional status of pregnant women. A mother who is very young, even still classified as a child - less than 18 years old - is still experiencing growth and development. If she is pregnant, the baby she is carrying will compete with the young mother for nutrients, because they both experience growth and development. This competition causes the mother to experience a chronic lack of energy.

Meanwhile, mothers who get pregnant at too old also need a lot of energy to support their weakened organ function. In this case, competition for energy occurs again. Therefore, the appropriate gestational age is 20 years to 34 years.

3. Mother's workload is too heavy

Physical activity affects the nutritional status of pregnant women. Every activity requires energy, if you do very heavy physical activity every day while you don't have enough food intake, then this pregnant woman is very vulnerable to experiencing chronic energy deficiency.

4. Infectious diseases experienced by pregnant women

One of the things that most influences the nutritional status of pregnant is the condition of the mother's health at that time. Pregnant women who experience infectious diseases, it is very easy to lose various nutrients needed by the body. Infectious diseases can cause chronic energy deficiency in pregnant women because the body's ability to absorb nutrients decreases and loss of appetite so that food intake also decreases.

What happens if pregnant women experience a chronic lack of energy?

Chronic lack of energy (KEK) causes an imbalance in and out of energy in the body. so, many disturbances will occur if a mother experiences KEK. These disorders interfere with the health of the mother and the fetus she is carrying.

A pregnant woman who lacks chronic energy (KEK) will experience:

• Feeling tired all the time
• Feeling tingling
• Pale face and unfit
• Having difficulty giving birth
• When breastfeeding later, the mother's milk will not be sufficient to meet the baby's needs, so the baby will lack milk

Meanwhile, the effects of KEK that can occur in the fetus that is conceived:

• Miscarriage
• Not optimal fetal growth causes the baby to be born with low birth weight
• The development of all fetal organs is impaired, this affects learning, cognitive abilities, and the child is at risk of experiencing disabilities
• Infant death at birth