Question

Iron deficiency anemia remains a significant public health concern in the US and the world.

Please discuss how iron deficiency anemia can impact many areas of one's life.

Answer 1

Ans) Iron-deficiency anemia is anemia caused by a lack of iron. Anemia is defined as a decrease in the number of red blood cells or the amount of hemoglobin in the blood.

Causes of Iron deficiency anemia:

• Inadequate dietary intake:
- Iron deficiency
- Other nutritional deficiencies

• Disease leading to inflammation:
- Anaemia of chronic disease (ACD)

• Bloodloss:
- Malaria
- Hookworms

• Other causes:
- Sickle cell trait
- α-thalassemia

Iron deficiency anemia impacts many areas of one's life:

• Anemia generally causes :
- Fatigue, poor temperature regulation, gastrointestinal disturbances

• Iron deficiency anemia and the "first 1000 days":
- Impaired motor and cognitive development

In Children:
• Premature birth, low birthweight, increased risk of infections, death, impaired physical growth

• Impaired cognitive development, negative impact
on learning. Lasting (life-long) impact

In Adults:

• Reduced productivity
• Increasedlikelihood of death during childbirth
• With good iron status, may lose up to a litre of blood during childbirth, but for a woman with iron-deficiency anemia, the loss of 1 cup of blood can be fatal
• Iron defiency anemia contributes to ~20% of all maternal death

Nursing Care:

In Children:

• Provide iron supplements for preterm and low-birth-weight infants by the age of 2 months.
• Provide iron supplements to infants who are exclusively breastfed by the age of 4 months.
• Recommend iron-fortified formula for infants who are not being breastfed.
• Modify the infant's diet to include high iron, vitamin C, and protein content.

In Adults:

• Advise the family that diarrhea, constipation, or nausea may occur at the start of therapy, but these adverse effects are usually self-limiting.
• Provide information regarding appropriate iron administration.
• Increase fiber and fluids if constipation develops.Allow frequent rest periods.
• If packed RBCs are required, follow protocols for administration.