Community screening to reveal iron deficiency in healthy menstruating women in Israelian suburbs.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence of iron deficiency among healthy women of child-bearing age, study the predictive value of blood hemoglobin level for this condition and assess the efficacy of a community screening program.


METHODS
All healthy women aged 18-45 years registered with one community outpatient clinic were requested to complete a questionnaire on present and past medical history; one-third also completed a second questionnaire on symptoms related to anemia. All underwent a blood test for hemoglobin, serum-saturated transferrin and ferritin levels.


RESULTS
Of the 163 women who complied (83% of the targeted population), 25.8% were diagnosed as having iron deficiency; of these 40.5% had a hemoglobin level of 12 g% or higher. The most sensitive indicator proved to be serum ferritin level. Iron deficiency was more prevalent in women with a personal history of anemia. Only 34.1% of the study group completed follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a high incidence of iron deficiency among women of childbearing age. However, because of the surprisingly low compliance with follow-up visits, preventive periodic screening of healthy menstruating women using routine blood tests is not recommended at this time, except for those with specific complaints or who are at high risk.
Kitai
E
E
Family Outpatient Clinic, Kupat-Holim Neve-Naaman, Petah-Tikva, Israel.
Kaplan
B
B
Raick
Y
Y
Cohen
Y
Y
Neri
A
A
Friedman
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D003153:Community Health Services; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D007557:Israel; D008403:Mass Screening; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis
D006454:Hemoglobins; D014168:Transferrin; D005293:Ferritins