Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia: how to deal with this problem

Iron deficiency (ID) is the most common micronutrient deficiency, affecting almost a third of the population, and is the leading cause of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) worldwide. IDA is a global health problem as it contributes to the global burden of disease.Anemia during pregnancy, most often caused by iron or folic acid deficiency, is associated with increased risk of maternal mortality and other adverse outcomes, including premature labor, placental abruption, preeclampsia, eclampsia, cesarean section, postpartum hemorrhage, postpartum infection, birth of a newborn not corresponding to gestational age, as well as increased perinatal and neonatal mortality rates. In addition, being born to a mother with anemia increases the risk of cognitive development disorders in early childhood and neurological disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders and attention deficit disorder. Among women of reproductive age, the most common causes of ID and IDA are abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) and uncorrected iron loss from previous pregnancies. Based on health care system data, AUB occurs much more frequently than usually assumed. Given the prevalence of 20–30% among women of reproductive age, it can negatively impact quality of life and is associated with financial losses, reduced productivity, poor health, and greater use of medical services.Given the global nature of the problem of iron deficiency, the World Health Organization called for community efforts to reduce the incidence of anemia in women of reproductive age. Exogenous iron and folic acid supplementation is a proven effective strategy in reducing the incidence of ID and IDA. The priority of this area justifies the urgent need of society for new highly effective molecules with a broad safety profile for both the prevention and treatment of ID and IDA. A significant achievement of modern pharmacology was the creation of the dietary supplement, which includes iron bisglycinate chelate. Adding IV generation folate to the dietary supplement improves iron deficiency recovery results.