Contents

• History
• Description
• Effects on Other Body Systems
• Cause of Disease
• Signs and Symptoms
• Diagnosis of IDA
• Complications
• Treatment and Side Effects
• Conclusion
• References

Description

Iron deficiency anemia is the most common nutritional deficiency in children as well as in adults. It is currently affecting over two billion people worldwide (NIH, 2018). Iron deficiency anemia or IDA, in its severe form may lead to significant pallor of the affected person. Historically, there have been accounts of people suffering from iron deficiency anemia recorded as early as in 18th century (Poskitt, 2003, p.1367) But IDA was seriously considered to be a subject of study only in 1930s. Till 1930s studies on the presence of iron particles in the blood or hemoglobin and the effects of lack of those particles were only disparate and it is only in the 1930s that homogenous efforts were made to study the symptoms of IDA and on prevention and treatment of IDA (Poskitt, 2003, p.1369).