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The CDC recommends that adolescents with extensive menstrual blood loss be screened annually for anemia. How often do such women have iron deficiency without anemia? To find out, investigators from a hematology clinic for young women retrospectively reviewed data from 114 consecutive patients aged 9–19 years who were referred for evaluation of heavy menstrual bleeding. All patients had complete blood counts (CBCs) and serum ferritin levels taken. Results were as follows:
Participants' mean age was 14.3 years, 41% had another hematologic disorder (e.g., von Willebrand disease), and 40% were overweight or obese.
About half (51%) had iron deficiency (serum ferritin <20 ng/mL), 25% had anemia (hemoglobin level <12 g/dL), and 24% had mean corpuscu…