IDA in Women of Reproductive Age

The most vulnerable to the development of iron deficiency conditions are women of reproductive age due to monthly physiological blood loss during menstruation, pregnant women due to the high need level for micronutrients, children and adolescents due to the high need levels of a growing body, elderly people suffering from chronic diseases and having poor nutrition.

The main reason for development of iron deficiency anemia in women is blood loss of various etiologies.  Iron deficiency in women is 6 times more common than in men.  A significant amount of blood is lost during menstruation, pregnancy, and childbirth.  With heavy menstruation, iron loss in the amount of 50–250 mg of iron is possible.  Most often, hyperpolymenorrhea is associated with the presence of uterine fibroids, adenomyosis, hyperplastic endometrial processes, and dysfunctional uterine bleeding.  Metrorrhagia in uterine fibroids is most often associated with submucous localization of nodes, in which the menstruating surface increases, the permeability of the blood vessels supplying the myoma increases, and the contractility of the uterus decreases.  With fibroids, the regeneration of the bleeding surface of the uterus slows down after desquamation of the endometrium.  With adenomyosis, the myometrium of the uterus is affected, and as a result it leads to prolonged heavy menstruation and secondary iron deficiency anemia.

Menstrual irregularities occur in women at different ages.  Various reasons can lead to the development of hypermenstrual syndrome - strong emotional upheavals, malnutrition, vitamin deficiency, obesity, occupational hazards, infectious and septic diseases, immaturity of hypothalamic structures at puberty and involutive rearrangement in premenopausal women.  In a significant part of cases of menometrorrhagia in women, anemia of varying severity is accompanied, which contributes to the development of trophic disorders in various organs and tissues.  Prevention and treatment of anemia in women with menstrual irregularities and organic gynecological diseases are the most important factors in the restoration of their health.

Regardless of the cause of menometrorrhagia (fibroids, endometriosis, ovarian dysfunction) and the need to influence the corresponding factor, long-term therapy with oral iron preparations is required.  The dose, dosing regimen and a specific medication are selected individually, taking into account the iron content in the medication, its tolerance, etc.

 

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  2. A. Z. Hashukoeva, S. A. Hlynova. Zhelezodeficitnye sostoyaniya pri ginekologicheskih zabolevaniyah i sposoby ih korrekcii. Medicinskij nauchno-prakticheskij portal Lechashchij vrach, 03/14.