![Women's health and Iron- Deficiency](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/163548_ca82e82f4fc745e2b1dcd8d1c7b4033a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_300,h_168,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/163548_ca82e82f4fc745e2b1dcd8d1c7b4033a~mv2.jpg)
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:
Are pregnant. Iron-deficiency anemia affects one in six pregnant women. You need more iron during pregnancy to support your unborn baby’s development.
Have heavy menstrual periods. Up to 5% of women of childbearing age develop iron-deficiency anemia because of heavy bleeding during their periods.
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:
• Fatigue (very common)
• Weakness (very common)
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Low body temperature
• Pale or yellow "sallow" skin
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat
• Shortness of breath or chest pain, especially with physical activity
• Brittle nails
• Pica (unusual cravings for ice, very cold drinks, or non-food items like dirt or paper)
If you think you may have iron-deficiency anemia, talk to your doctor or nurse.
Women can have low iron levels for several reasons:
• Iron lost through bleeding. Bleeding can cause you to lose more blood cells and iron than your body can replace. Women may have low iron levels from bleeding caused by:
Digestivesystem problems, such as ulcers, colon polyps, or colon cancer
Regular, long-term use of aspirin and other over-the-counter pain relievers
Donating blood too often or without enough time in between donations for your body to recover
Heavier or longer than normal menstrual periods
Uterine fibroids, which are noncancerous growths in the uterus that can cause heavy bleeding
Increased need for iron during pregnancy. During pregnancy, your body needs more iron than normal to support your developing baby.
Not eating enough food that contains iron. Your body absorbs the iron in animal-based foods, such as meat, chicken, and fish, two to three times better than the iron in plant-based foods.
Vegetarians or vegans, who eat little or no animal-based foods, need to choose otherto make sure they get enough.Your body also absorbs iron from Plant food sources of iron basedfoods
better when you eat them with foods that have vitamin C, such as oranges and tomatoes. But most people in the United States get enough iron from food.
Problems absorbing iron. Certain health conditions, such as Crohn's disease or celiac disease,or gastric bypass surgery for weight loss can make it harder for yourbody to absorb iron from food.
How is iron-deficiency anemia diagnosed?
Talk to your doctor if you think you might have iron-deficiency anemia. Your doctor may:
Ask you questions about your health history, including how regular or heavy your menstrual periods are. Your doctor may also ask you about any digestive system problems you may have, such as blood in your stool.
Do a physical exam
Talk to you about the foods you eat, the medicines you take, and your family health history.
Do blood tests. Your doctor will do a complete blood count (CBC). The CBC measures many parts of your blood. If the CBC test shows that you have anemia, your doctor will likely do another blood test to measure the iron levels in your blood and confirm that you have iron-deficiency anemia.
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:
Blood loss from a digestive system problem. If you have an ulcer, your doctor may give you antibiotics or other medicine to treat the ulcer. If your bleeding is caused by a polyp or cancerous tumor, you may need surgery to remove it.
Blood loss from heavy menstrual periods. Your doctor may give you hormonal birth control to help relieve heavy periods. If your heavy bleeding does not get better, your doctor may recommend surgery. Types of surgery to control heavy bleeding include endometrial ablation, which removes or destroys your uterine lining, and hysterectomy.
Increased need for iron. If you have problems absorbing iron or have lower iron levels but do not have severe anemia, your doctor may recommend:
Iron pills to build up your iron levels as quickly as possible. Do not take any iron pills without first talking to your doctor or nurse.
Eating more foods that contain iron. Good sources of iron include meat, fish, eggs, beans, peas, and fortified foods (look for cereals fortified with 100% of the daily value for iron).
Eating more foods with vitamin C. Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron. Good sources of vitamin C include oranges, broccoli, and tomatoes.
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:
Start with half of the recommended dose. Gradually increase to the full dose.
Take iron in divided doses. For example, if you take two pills daily, take one in the morning with breakfast and the other after dinner.
Take iron with food (especially something with vitamin C, such as a glass of orange juice, to help your body absorb the iron).
If one type of iron pill causes side effects, ask your doctor for another type. If you take iron as a liquid instead of as a pill, aim it toward the back of your mouth. This will prevent the liquid from staining your teeth. You can also brush your teeth after taking the medicine to help prevent staining.
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 with pregnancy.
![Pregnancy and iron deficiency anemia](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/163548_507e4d0850da43bead925c22769a0fc1~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_306,h_165,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/163548_507e4d0850da43bead925c22769a0fc1~mv2.jpg)
How can I prevent iron-deficiency anemia?
You can help prevent iron-deficiency anemia with the following steps:
Treat the cause of blood loss. Talk to your doctor if you have heavy menstrual periods or if you have digestive system problems, such as frequent diarrhea or blood in your stool.
Eat foods with iron. Good sources of iron include lean meat and chicken, dark, leafy vegetables, and beans.
Eat and drink foods that help your body absorb iron, like orange juice, strawberries, broccoli, or other fruits and vegetables with vitamin C.
Make healthy food choices. Most people who make healthy, balanced food choices get the iron and vitamins their bodies need from the foods they eat.
Avoid drinking coffee or tea with meals. These drinks make it harder for your body to absorb iron.
Talk to your doctor if you take calcium pills. Calcium can make it harder for your body to absorb iron. If you have a hard time getting enough calcium, talk to your doctor about the best way to also get enough calcium.
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):
![Women's daily recommended dietary allowance for iron](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/163548_fa1ef808c9d247eb8d0a0d93ce4db803~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_402,h_125,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/163548_fa1ef808c9d247eb8d0a0d93ce4db803~mv2.png)
*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:
Fortified breakfast cereals (18 milligrams per serving)
Oysters (8 milligrams per 3-ounce serving)
Canned white beans (8 milligrams per cup)
Dark chocolate (7 milligrams per 3-ounce serving)
Beef liver (5 milligrams per 3-ounce serving)
Spinach (3 milligrams per ½ cup)
Tofu, firm (3 milligrams per ½ cup)
Kidney beans (2 milligrams per ½ cup)
Canned tomatoes (2 milligrams per ½ cup)
Lean beef (2 milligrams for a 3-ounce serving)
Baked potato (2 milligrams for a medium potato)
![Iron rich foods](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/163548_e021a2c6432d4804997238281983a016~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_286,h_176,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/163548_e021a2c6432d4804997238281983a016~mv2.jpg)
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:
Getting 27 milligrams of iron every day. Take a prenatal vitamin with iron every day, or talk to
your doctor about taking an iron supplement (pill).
Testing for iron-deficiency anemia
Testing for iron-deficiency anemia four to six weeks after childbirth
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:
Cereals and bread with added iron
Lentils and beans
Dark chocolate
Dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli
Tofu
Chickpea
Canned tomatoes
![Iron rich foods for vegetarians in womens health](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/163548_36cbd30f0231465f8ce3d9a88fad219b~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_281,h_180,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/163548_36cbd30f0231465f8ce3d9a88fad219b~mv2.jpg)
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. 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:
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), NIH, HHS Phone Number: 301-592-
8573
• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (link is external) Phone Number: 800-877-1600
• Iron Disorders Institute (link is external) Phone Number: 888-565-4766
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