Risk Factors For Anemia

 Anemia, a disorder characterized by a lower-than-normal red blood cell count and insufficient hemoglobin levels, affects approximately 25% of the population or 1.6 billion people worldwide.1 Iron-deficiency anemia represents the most common etiology; however, the causes are diverse and can be based on a patient’s health and/or geographic status,2 for example, disease, infections and malnutrition are leading causes of anemia in developing countries. Blood loss, poor red blood cell production, or elevated rates of red blood cell destruction may cause anemia. Women of childbearing years represent one of the highest risk groups for developing anemia, being affected by blood loss due to menstruation or increased hemoglobin needs due to pregnancy. Hemoglobin is the iron-containing protein molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body and carbon dioxide back for exhalation.