Feeling run down? Are you in the midst of a pregnancy? Dealing with heavy periods? Do you avoid eating meat? If any of these apply to you, you could be at risk for anemia.
Anemia is the deficiency of the oxygen-carrying red blood cells, which are produced within the bone marrow from amino acids and iron with the aid of vitamin B12 and folic acid. Anemia develops for many reasons but most commonly when the supply of iron is depleted, the production line slows and makes sub par, small red blood cells.
Doctors diagnose anemia by measuring two blood test values: hemoglobin and hematocrit. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs. Hematocrit is the percentage of a blood sample that's made up of red blood cells, as compared to other cells and the surrounding fluid called serum. Anemia in women is generally defined as a hemoglobin level of less than 12 g/dL, or a hematocrit less than 37 percent.
Because of their monthly menstrual bleeding, women become anemic more often than do men, especially those with heavy cycles. The medical lingo for heavy menses is menorrhagia, defined as a blood loss exceeding 80 mL per cycle.
Menorrhagia is more common among women who have fibroids within the uterus or have inherited a bleeding disorder. Some have had heavy periods for so long that they presume their monthly loss of blood is normal.
Women with moderate menstrual flow but poor dietary intake of iron-rich foods may also develop anemia over time. And if a woman who has no menstrual cycles or a light cycle becomes anemic, she should be evaluated for conditions such as pernicious anemia, lupus, kidney failure, or colon cancer.
You should seek evaluation for anemia if:
- You soak through a tampon or pad every 1-3 hours for more than a day.
- You restrict meats and other iron-rich foods like fish and chicken from your diet. Vegetable sources of iron are less well absorbed.
- You have a rapid heart rate (over 100 beats per minute) at rest.
- You feel weak, tired, or short of breath when you're active.
- You are going to have a surgical procedure that can entail significant blood loss.
