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Iron-Deficiency Anemia - Risk Factors - Risk Factors

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You may have an increased risk for iron-deficiency anemia because of your age, unhealthy environments, family history and genetics genetic (jeh-NEH-tik):
Having to do with genes. Most genes are sequences of DNA that contain information for making specific proteins or molecules of RNA that perform important functions in a cell. The information in genes is passed from parents to children. , lifestyle habits, or sex.

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\n Age \n
- Iron-Deficiency Anemia - Risk Factors

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You may be at increased risk for iron deficiency at certain ages:

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  • Infants between 6 and 12 months, especially if they are fed only breast milk or are fed formula that is not fortified with iron. The iron that full-term infants have stored in their bodies is used up in the first 4 to 6 months of life. Babies who were born prematurely may be at an even higher risk, as most of a newborn\u2019s iron stores are developed during the third trimester of pregnancy.
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  • Children between ages 1 and 2, especially if they drink a lot of cow\u2019s milk. Cow\u2019s milk is low in iron. 
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  • Teens, who have increased need for iron during growth spurts.
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  • Older adults, especially those over age 65.
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\n Unhealthy environments \n
- Iron-Deficiency Anemia - Risk Factors

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  • Children who have lead in their blood from their environment or water. Lead interferes with the body\u2019s ability to make hemoglobin.
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\n Family history and genetics \n
- Iron-Deficiency Anemia - Risk Factors

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Von Willebrand disease is an inherited inherited (in-HAYR-ih-ted):
The passing of genetic information from a parent to a child through genes. bleeding disorder that affects the blood\u2019s ability to clot. This makes it harder to stop bleeding and can increase the risk of iron-deficiency anemia from trauma, surgery, or heavy menstrual periods.

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Individuals with a gene for hemophilia, including symptomatic female carriers who have heavy menstrual periods, may be at risk for iron-deficiency anemia.

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\n Lifestyle habits \n
- Iron-Deficiency Anemia - Risk Factors

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Certain lifestyle habits may increase your risk for iron-deficiency anemia, including:

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  • Vegetarian or vegan eating patterns. Not eating enough iron-rich foods, such as meat and fish, may result in you getting less than the recommended daily amount of iron.
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  • Frequent blood donation. Individuals who donate blood often may be at risk for iron-deficiency anemia.
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  • Endurance activities and athletes. Athletes, especially young females, are at risk for iron deficiency. Endurance athletes lose iron through their gastrointestinal tracts. They also lose iron through the breakdown of red blood cells, called hemolysis hemolysis (hee-MAH-lih-sis):
    The breakdown of red blood cells. Red blood cells normally live for up to 120 days. After that, they naturally break down and are most often removed from the blood by the spleen.     . Hemolysis, in this case, is caused by strong muscle contractions and the impact of feet repeatedly striking the ground, such as with marathon runners.
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\n Sex \n
- Iron-Deficiency Anemia - Risk Factors

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Girls and women between the ages of 14 and 50 years need more iron than boys and men of the same age. Women are at higher risk for iron-deficiency anemia under some circumstances, including:

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  • During menstruation, especially if you experience heavy periods.
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  • During pregnancy, after delivery, or when breastfeeding you may be consuming less than the recommended daily amount of iron. This is because your need for iron increases during these periods of growth and development, and it may be hard to get the recommended amount from food alone. Pregnant women need more iron to support the growth of their unborn babies, so their bodies produce more blood. With more red blood cells on hand, their bodies can store iron to prepare for blood loss during delivery. 
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Syndicated Content Details:
Source URL: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/subscribe/4025
Source Agency: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Captured Date: 2018-06-12 15:38:00.0
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