Early CBC Screening for Detecting Subclinical Anemia in Adolescent Females

This cross-sectional study sought to assess the prevalence of subclinical anemia in adolescent females. It recruited a total of 118 adolescent females from 3rd-5th April 2024 via convenient sampling. The females who appeared healthy and had no known prior medical condition were screened for anemia. Demographics, medical history, and vital signs were recorded and CBC and peripheral blood smear tests were performed at Husaini Diagnostic Laboratory. Using SPSS v.25, frequency and percentages for prevalence and Chi-square for association were employed with p<0.05 as significant. A substantial part of girls, 35 out of 118 (29.7%) were anemic. Underweight BMI was associated with a higher risk of anemia. Anemia severity was generally mild, with only 8 (6.8%) exhibiting moderate anemia. Microcytic hypochromic RBCs were observed in 23 out of 35 (65.7%) anemic cases, suggesting iron deficiency as the primary cause. However, serum ferritin and hemoglobin electrophoresis were recommended to confirm iron deficiency or thalassemia respectively.