Who Is At Risk for Iron-Deficiency Anemia?

The major risk factors for iron-deficiency anemia are blood loss and a diet low in iron. Three of the highest risk groups are women, young children, and adults with intestinal bleeding.

Populations Affected

Women

Women who lose a lot of blood during their monthly periods are at higher risk of developing iron-deficiency anemia. About 1 in 5 women of childbearing age has iron-deficiency anemia.

Pregnant women need twice as much iron in their diet than women who are not pregnant. If a pregnant woman doesn't get enough iron for herself and the growing baby, she can develop iron-deficiency anemia. About half of all pregnant women have this type of anemia.

Young Children

Infants and toddlers 6-24 months of age need a lot of iron to grow and develop. The iron that full-term infants have stored in their bodies is used up in the first 4-6 months of life. After that, infants need to get iron from food or supplements. Premature and low-birth-weight babies are at even greater risk for iron-deficiency anemia because they don't have as much iron stored in their bodies.

Other children at risk for anemia are:

• Children with poor nutrition, including low-income children
• Children with lead in their blood
• Infants fed cow's milk before 1 year of age
• Breastfed infants older than 4 months who are not receiving iron-rich solid foods or iron supplements

Adults With Intestinal Bleeding

Adults who bleed in their intestinal tract are at risk for iron-deficiency anemia. This includes people who have bleeding ulcers or colon cancer. It also includes people who use medicines that can cause intestinal bleeding (for example, aspirin).

Other Adults

Other adults who are at risk for iron-deficiency anemia include those who are on kidney dialysis, vegetarians, and older adults who have poor diets.