What are the causes of anemia in women?

Female anemia most commonly results from iron deficiency, often due to chronic blood loss—particularly heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia)—which depletes iron stores faster than dietary intake can replenish them. Other significant contributors include inadequate dietary iron (especially in vegetarian or restrictive diets), impaired iron absorption (e.g., due to celiac disease or atrophic gastritis), and increased physiological demands during pregnancy or lactation. Less common but important causes include vitamin B12 or folate deficiency (often linked to malabsorption syndromes, pernicious anemia, or poor nutrition), chronic inflammatory conditions (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease) that disrupt iron metabolism and erythropoiesis, and rare hematologic disorders such as aplastic anemia or myelodysplastic syndromes. A thorough evaluation—including complete blood count, peripheral blood smear, serum ferritin, iron studies, vitamin B12, folate levels, and inflammatory markers—is essential to determine the underlying etiology and guide appropriate, targeted treatment.