Causes of Nutritional Anaemia

Causes Iron Deficiency Anaemia

Iron deficiency occurs when the rate of loss or use of iron is more than its rate of absorption and use. The reasons for this are

·         Chronic blood loss: Most commonly due to excessive menstruation or bleeding into or from the gut as a result of a peptic ulcer, gastritis, haemorrhoids or in children, worm infestation.

·         Increased use of iron: In pregnancy, due to the growth of the foetus or children undergoing rapid growth spurts in infancy and adolescence.

·         Decreased absorption of iron

o    after a partial or total removal of the stomach;

o    lack of stomach acid;

o    chronic diarrhoea; or

o    malabsorption.

 Causes of Pernicious Anaemia

• A lack of intrinsic factor is a common cause of pernicious anaemia as the body can't absorb enough vitamin B₁₂.
• Some pernicious anaemia occurs because the body's small intestine can't properly absorb vitamin B₁₂ which may be due to the wrong bacteria in the small intestines; certain diseases that interfere with vitamin B₁₂ absorption; certain medicines; surgical removal of part of the small intestine; and tapeworm infection.
• Sometimes people develop pernicious anaemia because they don't get enough vitamin B₁₂ in their diets.