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Iron-Deficiency Anaemia

Also known as: IDA · anaemia · low haemoglobin · low iron

The commonest anaemia — low haemoglobin from depleted iron stores (microcytic, hypochromic). Always find and treat the CAUSE, not just the number.

Source · Reviewed 2026-08-15 · v1.0— AI-assisted draft — verify against the cited guideline before clinical use.

⚕️ Education only — not medical advice. Verify against the latest official guideline and your local protocol; confirm every drug dose against the cited source before clinical use.

Who gets it

Menstruating and pregnant women, young children, and people with poor dietary iron, chronic blood loss (GI, hookworm, menorrhagia) or malabsorption.

Red flags — escalate / refer

Severe symptomatic anaemia (breathlessness, chest pain, heart failure) → urgent assessment ± transfusion.
Iron deficiency in an older adult, or with GI symptoms/occult blood → exclude GI malignancy (endoscopy).
Anaemia in pregnancy with complications → obstetric review.

Work-up / diagnosis

1Confirm with CBC (low Hb, low MCV/MCH) plus iron studies — a LOW ferritin is the most specific marker (with low serum iron and high TIBC).
2ALWAYS seek the cause: dietary history, menstrual and GI blood loss, stool for occult blood/parasites; consider endoscopy in at-risk adults.
3WHO Hb thresholds: <13 g/dL (men), <12 (non-pregnant women), <11 (pregnancy/young children).

Management — overview

Treat the underlying cause (deworming, manage menorrhagia, address a GI source).
Oral iron is first-line: elemental iron taken with vitamin C; continue ~3 months AFTER Hb normalises to refill stores.
Use IV iron when oral iron is not tolerated or ineffective, in malabsorption, or when rapid replacement is needed.
Transfuse only for severe symptomatic anaemia or haemodynamic compromise.
Counsel on iron-rich diet; use national programmes (Anaemia Mukt Bharat — IFA supplementation + deworming).

In-depthFull dosing & advanced protocol

Drug dosing

Oral elemental iron (e.g. ferrous sulfate/fumarate)

First-line replacement

Adult dose: ~60–120 mg elemental iron/day (ferrous sulfate 200 mg ≈ 65 mg elemental); continue 3 months after Hb normalises
Paediatric: 3–6 mg/kg/day elemental iron
Route: Oral

Caution: Take with vitamin C; GI upset is common (alternate-day dosing may improve tolerance/absorption).

MoHFWAnaemia Mukt Bharat / MoHFW — anaemia control guidelines ↗

IV iron (e.g. ferric carboxymaltose)

Oral iron failed/not suitable, or rapid replacement

Adult dose: Dose by weight and Hb deficit, per product
Route: Intravenous

WHOWHO Model List of Essential Medicines (electronic EML) (2025 (24th)) ↗

Interpreting iron studies & non-response

Ferritin is an acute-phase reactant — it can be falsely normal/high in inflammation; interpret with CRP and transferrin saturation.
No response to oral iron? Check adherence, ongoing blood loss, malabsorption (coeliac), or a wrong diagnosis (thalassaemia, anaemia of chronic disease).
Pregnancy: IFA supplementation; use IV iron for intolerance or later-pregnancy correction.

MoHFWAnaemia Mukt Bharat / MoHFW — anaemia control guidelines ↗

References

Guidelines change. If something here is out of date, tell us — we keep these current.

🚩 Report outdated / suggest update

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Iron-Deficiency Anaemia

Also known as: IDA · anaemia · low haemoglobin · low iron

The commonest anaemia — low haemoglobin from depleted iron stores (microcytic, hypochromic). Always find and treat the CAUSE, not just the number.

Source · Reviewed 2026-08-15 · v1.0— AI-assisted draft — verify against the cited guideline before clinical use.

Work-up / diagnosis

1Confirm with CBC (low Hb, low MCV/MCH) plus iron studies — a LOW ferritin is the most specific marker (with low serum iron and high TIBC).

2ALWAYS seek the cause: dietary history, menstrual and GI blood loss, stool for occult blood/parasites; consider endoscopy in at-risk adults.

3WHO Hb thresholds: <13 g/dL (men), <12 (non-pregnant women), <11 (pregnancy/young children).

Management — overview

Treat the underlying cause (deworming, manage menorrhagia, address a GI source).

Oral iron is first-line: elemental iron taken with vitamin C; continue ~3 months AFTER Hb normalises to refill stores.

Use IV iron when oral iron is not tolerated or ineffective, in malabsorption, or when rapid replacement is needed.

Transfuse only for severe symptomatic anaemia or haemodynamic compromise.

Counsel on iron-rich diet; use national programmes (Anaemia Mukt Bharat — IFA supplementation + deworming).

Drug dosing

Oral elemental iron (e.g. ferrous sulfate/fumarate)

First-line replacement

Adult dose: ~60–120 mg elemental iron/day (ferrous sulfate 200 mg ≈ 65 mg elemental); continue 3 months after Hb normalises
Paediatric: 3–6 mg/kg/day elemental iron
Route: Oral

Caution: Take with vitamin C; GI upset is common (alternate-day dosing may improve tolerance/absorption).

MoHFWAnaemia Mukt Bharat / MoHFW — anaemia control guidelines ↗

IV iron (e.g. ferric carboxymaltose)

Oral iron failed/not suitable, or rapid replacement

Adult dose: Dose by weight and Hb deficit, per product
Route: Intravenous

WHOWHO Model List of Essential Medicines (electronic EML) (2025 (24th)) ↗

Interpreting iron studies & non-response

Ferritin is an acute-phase reactant — it can be falsely normal/high in inflammation; interpret with CRP and transferrin saturation.

No response to oral iron? Check adherence, ongoing blood loss, malabsorption (coeliac), or a wrong diagnosis (thalassaemia, anaemia of chronic disease).

Pregnancy: IFA supplementation; use IV iron for intolerance or later-pregnancy correction.

👤 Who gets it

🚩 Red flags — escalate / refer

🔎 Work-up / diagnosis

🧭 Management — overview

💊 Drug dosing

Oral elemental iron (e.g. ferrous sulfate/fumarate)

IV iron (e.g. ferric carboxymaltose)

📈 Interpreting iron studies & non-response

📚 References

More protocols

👤 Who gets it

🚩 Red flags — escalate / refer

🔎 Work-up / diagnosis

🧭 Management — overview

💊 Drug dosing

Oral elemental iron (e.g. ferrous sulfate/fumarate)

IV iron (e.g. ferric carboxymaltose)

📈 Interpreting iron studies & non-response

📚 References

More protocols

Who gets it

Red flags — escalate / refer

Work-up / diagnosis

Management — overview

Drug dosing

Interpreting iron studies & non-response

References

Who gets it

Red flags — escalate / refer

Work-up / diagnosis

Management — overview

Drug dosing

Interpreting iron studies & non-response

References