Iron deficiency anaemia is caused by lack of iron, often because of blood loss or pregnancy. It's treated with iron tablets and by eating iron-rich foods. Show
Check if you have iron deficiency anaemiaSymptoms can include:
Less common symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia (that are not usually connected to pregnancy) include:
Non-urgent advice: See a GP if you have symptoms of iron deficiency anaemiaA simple blood test will confirm if you have iron deficiency anaemia. What happens at your appointmentThe GP will ask you about your lifestyle and medical history. If the reason for the anaemia is not clear, they might order some tests to find out what might be causing the symptoms. They might also refer you to a specialist for further checks. Blood tests for iron deficiency anaemiaThe GP will usually order a full blood count (FBC) test. This will find out if the number of red blood cells you have (your red blood cell count) is normal. You do not need to do anything to prepare for this test. Iron deficiency anaemia is the most common type of anaemia. There are other types, like vitamin B12 and folate anaemia, that the blood test will also check for. Treatment for iron deficiency anaemiaOnce the reason you have anaemia has been found (for example, an ulcer or heavy periods) the GP will recommend treatment. If the blood test shows your red blood cell count is low, iron tablets will be recommended to replace the iron that's missing from your body. You’ll need to take them for about 6 months. Drinking orange juice after you've taken a tablet may help your body absorb the iron. Follow the GP’s advice about how to take iron tablets. Some people get side effects when taking iron tablets like:
Try taking the tablets with or soon after food to reduce the chance of side effects. It's important to keep taking the tablets, even if you get side effects. Your GP may carry out repeat blood tests over the next few months to check that your iron level is getting back to normal. ImportantKeep iron supplement tablets out of the reach of children. An overdose of iron in a young child can be fatal. Things you can do yourselfIf your diet is partly causing your iron deficiency anaemia, your GP will tell you what foods are rich in iron so you can eat more of them. Eat and drink more:
Eat and drink less:
Large amounts of these foods and drinks make it harder for your body to absorb iron. You might be referred to a specialist dietitian if you're finding it hard to include iron in your diet. Causes of iron deficiency anaemiaIn pregnancy, iron deficiency anaemia is most often caused by a lack of iron in your diet. Heavy periods and pregnancy are very common causes of iron deficiency anaemia. Heavy periods can be treated with medicine. For men and for women whose periods have stopped, bleeding in the stomach and intestines is the most common cause of iron deficiency anaemia. This can be caused by: Iron-deficiency anemia means that your body does not have enough iron. Your body needs iron to help carry oxygen through your blood to all parts of your body. Iron-deficiency anemia affects more women than men and is more common during pregnancy. What is iron-deficiency anemia?Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia, a condition that happens when your body does not make enough healthy red blood cells or the blood cells do not work correctly. Iron-deficiency anemia happens when you don’t have enough iron in your body. Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin, the part of the red blood cell that carries oxygen through your blood to all parts of your body. Who gets iron-deficiency anemia?Iron-deficiency anemia affects more women than men. The risk of iron-deficiency anemia is highest for women who:
Infants, small children, and teens are also at high risk for iron-deficiency anemia. Learn how much iron children need at different ages. What are the symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia?Iron-deficiency anemia often develops slowly. In the beginning, you may not have any symptoms, or they may be mild. As it gets worse, you may notice one or more of these symptoms:3
If you think you may have iron-deficiency anemia, talk to your doctor or nurse. What causes iron-deficiency anemia?Women can have low iron levels for several reasons:
How is iron-deficiency anemia diagnosed?Talk to your doctor if you think you might have iron-deficiency anemia. Your doctor may:
If you have iron-deficiency anemia, your doctor may want to do other tests to find out what is causing it. Do I need to be tested for iron-deficiency anemia?Maybe. Talk to your doctor about getting tested as part of your regular health exam if you have heavy menstrual periods or a health problem such as Crohn's disease or celiac disease. How is iron-deficiency anemia treated?Treatment for iron-deficiency anemia depends on the cause:
If you have severe bleeding or symptoms of chest pain or shortness of breath, your doctor may recommend iron or red blood cell transfusions. Transfusions are for severe iron deficiencies only and are much less common. What do I need to know about iron pills?Your doctor may recommend iron pills to help build up your iron levels. Do not take these pills without talking to your doctor or nurse first. Taking iron pills can cause side effects, including an upset stomach, constipation, and diarrhea. If taken as a liquid, iron supplements may stain your teeth. You can reduce side effects from iron pills by taking these steps:
What can happen if iron-deficiency anemia is not treated?If left untreated, iron-deficiency anemia can cause serious health problems. Having too little oxygen in the body can damage organs. With anemia, the heart must work harder to make up for the lack of red blood cells or hemoglobin. This extra work can harm the heart. Iron-deficiency anemia can also cause problems during pregnancy. How can I prevent iron-deficiency anemia?You can help prevent iron-deficiency anemia with the following steps:
How much iron do I need every day?The chart below lists how much iron you need every day. The recommended amounts are listed in milligrams (mg). See a list of good sources of iron. Age Women Pregnant women Breastfeeding women Vegetarian women* 14–18 years 15 mg 27 mg 10 mg 27 mg 19–50 years 18 mg 27 mg 9 mg 32 mg 51+ years 8 mg n/a n/a 14 mg Source: Adapted from Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board6 *Vegetarians need more iron from food than people who eat meat do. This is because the body can absorb iron from meat better than from plant-based foods. What foods contain iron?Food sources of iron include:
Find more sources of iron. Do I need more iron during pregnancy?Yes. During pregnancy, your body needs more iron to support your growing baby. In fact, pregnant women need almost twice as much iron as women who are not pregnant do. Not getting enough iron during pregnancy raises your risk for premature birth or a low-birth-weight baby (less than 5 ½ pounds). Premature birth is the most common cause of infant death. Both premature birth and low birth weight raise your baby's risk for health and developmental problems at birth and during childhood. If you're pregnant, talk to your doctor about these steps:
Do I need more iron if I am breastfeeding?No, you do not need more iron during breastfeeding. In fact, you need less iron than before you were pregnant. The amount of iron women need during breastfeeding is 10 milligrams per day for young mothers 14 to 18 and 9 milligrams per day for breastfeeding women older than 18. You need less iron while breastfeeding because you likely will not lose a lot through your menstrual cycle. Many breastfeeding women do not have a period or may have only a light period. Also, if you got enough iron during pregnancy (27 milligrams a day), your breastmilk will supply enough iron for your baby. Does menopausal hormone therapy affect how much iron I need to take?It might. If you still get your period and take menopausal hormone therapy, you may need more iron than women who are postmenopausal and do not take menopausal hormone therapy. Talk to your doctor or nurse. Does birth control affect my risk for iron-deficiency anemia?It could. Hormonal birth control, such as the pill, the patch, the shot, or the hormonal intrauterine device (IUD), is often used to treat women with heavy menstrual periods. Lighter menstrual periods may reduce your risk for iron-deficiency anemia. Also, the non-hormonal, copper IUD (Paragard) may make your menstrual flow heavier. This raises your risk for iron-deficiency anemia. Talk to your doctor or nurse about your risk for anemia and whether hormonal birth control may help. I am a vegetarian. How can I make sure I get enough iron?You can help make sure you get enough iron by choosing foods that contain iron more often. Vegetarians need more iron from food than people who eat meat. This is because the body can absorb iron from meat better than from plant-based foods. Vegetarian sources of iron include:8
Talk to your doctor or nurse about whether you get enough iron. Most people get enough iron from food. Can I get more iron than my body needs?Yes, your body can get too much iron. Extra iron can damage the liver, heart, and pancreas. Try to get no more than 45 milligrams of iron a day, unless your doctor prescribes more. Some people get too much iron because of a condition called hemochromatosis that runs in families. Learn more about hemochromatosis, who is at risk, and how it is treated. You can also get too much iron from iron pills (if you also get iron from food) or from repeated blood transfusions. Did we answer your question about iron-deficiency anemia?For more information about iron-deficiency anemia, call the OWH Helpline at 1-800-994-9662 or contact the following organizations: What happens if you have low iron for too long?If left untreated, iron-deficiency anemia can cause serious health problems. Having too little oxygen in the body can damage organs. With anemia, the heart must work harder to make up for the lack of red blood cells or hemoglobin. This extra work can harm the heart.
What happens if you have low iron and don't treat it?If iron deficiency anaemia is not treated
can make you more at risk of illness and infection – a lack of iron affects the immune system. may increase your risk of developing complications that affect the heart or lungs – such as an abnormally fast heartbeat (tachycardia) or heart failure.
Can you survive with low iron?Living with anemia
Following treatment, most people go on to live normal, healthy lives. However, anemia can have lasting, or life-threatening, effects. These are more common if the condition is chronic, severe, or left untreated.
Can low iron become an emergency?In some cases, iron deficiency anemia can be a serious condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you, or someone you are with, have any of these serious symptoms including: Chest pain or pressure. Difficulty breathing.
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