PREVALENCE OF IRON DEFICIENCY ANAEMIA IN FEMALES PRESENTING TO MEDICAL OPD OF BACHA KHAN MEDICAL COMPLEX SHAHMANSOOR, SWABI

INTRODUCTION
Anaemia is defined as reduction in amount of red
blood cells or hemoglobin, thus reducing the oxygen
carrying capacity of blood.1 According to world health
organization, anaemia is defined as hemoglobin concentration
below 12 g/dl in non-pregnant women and
below 11 g/dl in pregnant women.2 Anaemia is classified
by severity based on content of hemoglobin in the
blood. Mild anaemia corresponds to hemoglobin level
of 10 g/l to normal level, moderate 8-9.9 g/l and severe
anaemia as less than 8 g/l.3
World wide, iron deficiency is the most common
cause of anaemia, accounting for more than 50% of
cases. Other causes of anaemia include nutritional
deficiencies e.g. vitamin B-12 & vitamin A, worm infestations,
and disorders of red blood cell destruction and
hemoglobin synthesis.4
Iron deficiency anaemia develops when body
stores of iron get exhausted and drop too low for availability
of normal red blood cell (RBC) production. Insufficient
dietary iron, impaired iron absorption, bleeding,
or losses of body iron in the urine or stool are different
causes of Iron deficiency anaemia.5
Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) in women of reproductive
age is a public health concern that globally
affects 17% of women including 26% of non-pregnant
and 19% of pregnant women.6,7 Most of the burden occurs
in the less developed countries, majorly because of