Iron deficiency in women: clearing the rust of silence

Abstract

Iron deficiency remains the most common single-nutrient deficiently globally. It affects approximately 2 billion people annually and is the most prevalent cause of anaemia. Anaemia remains a barometer of socioeconomic disadvantage inversely related to household socioeconomic status in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), making iron deficiency a key public health issue. Iron deficiency anaemia disproportionately affects women throughout their lifecycle via menstruation, pregnancy, and childbirth, and is the leading cause of years lived with disability in women worldwide.