Iron deficiency states in a woman's life

The most vulnerable category of the population concerning iron deficiency and IDA are women.  Their daily requirement for iron is higher than that of men and averages 1.5–1.7 mg.  With heavy menstrual bleeding, it increases, during pregnancy and normal labor - about 2 times, during lactation - 10 times.  (With prolonged blood loss - more than 30–40 ml per day (more than 2 mg of iron), iron deficiency gradually develops. It would take 2-3 years for natural restoration of iron stores in the body after childbirth.

According to WHO: anemia is diagnosed when: hemoglobin concentration less than 130 g/l in women after menopause, hemoglobin concentration less than 120 g/l in women of childbearing age, hemoglobin concentration less than 110 g/l in pregnant women (in the first and third trimesters) or less than 105 g / l (in the second trimester) The following risk factors also approach IDA: Low iron intake while following a diet for weight loss; Commitment to vegetarianism; Chronic uterine blood loss in menorrhagia of various origins (thrombocytopathy, intrauterine contraceptive, etc.). Dysfunctional uterine bleeding, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, tumors of the pelvic organs, etc.; Nasal, gingival bleeding and multiple subcutaneous hemorrhages. The cause of IDA in women of 40-55 years old can be gastrointestinal diseases: asymptomatic tumors of the stomach and intestines, blood loss during helminthic invasion can range from 2 to 100 ml per day.  Additional iron losses in patients with helminthic invasion average 0.8-1.2 mg of iron daily, IDA can develop during infection with Helicobacter pylori due to chronic latent blood loss, competitive consumption of iron by bacteria, decrease in concentration of ascorbic acid and increase in hepcidin activity with prolonged use of anticoagulants, aspirin, NSAIDs, latent bleeding may occur with the subsequent development of ID, etc.; Intense sports; Obesity; Donation.

Iron deficiency leads to serious consequences - aggravation of chronic diseases and decrease in the life quality.  According to WHO (2015) and the World Bank, pronounced iron deficiency is observed in every third woman of reproductive age and every second pregnant woman; IDA is the third most common cause of temporary disability in women aged 15–44 years.

Therefore, one of the UN goals is to reduce the prevalence of anemia in women of reproductive age by 50% by 2025. In 2017, to support countries in the fight against anemia, WHO developed guidelines on the prevention and control of iron deficiency and anemia.

WHO recommends that absolutely all the girls and women with a stable menstrual cycle be considered at risk of developing anemia and use a prophylactic dose of elemental iron daily for 3 months.  every year (30-60 mg).

 

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