Iron status in women of reproductive age in Switzerland: the role of inflammation and ferritin thresholds for the prevalence of iron deficiency–a cross-sectional study

In this convenience sample of young women in Switzerland, one in five was iron deficient and one in 30 was anemic due to iron deficiency. Controlling ferritin concentrations for inflammation did not substantially affect the prevalence of iron deficiency, indicating that such corrections are redundant in a healthy population with a low prevalence of inflammation. Impaired erythropoiesis was observed when the ferritin concentration fell below 28.5 µg/l, providing further evidence for a physiologically based ferritin threshold to identify the onset of iron-deficient erythropoiesis.