The document discusses the prevention of anemia, highlighting its prevalence (especially among pregnant women and children) and the importance of dietary measures such as iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid intake. It emphasizes the role of regular health screenings, deworming, and public awareness campaigns, alongside WHO recommendations for iron and folic acid supplementation in pregnancy. Additionally, it addresses genetic counseling for at-risk ethnic groups and precautions to avoid exposure to harmful substances.

1. Prevention of Anaemia
By Kavya Liyanage

2. Why to Prevent?
About 25% of the total population affected world
widely
Pregnant women, children mostly affected

3. Dietary Precautions
Consuming
food rich in
Iron
Decreases the risk
of iron deficiency
anaemia
Vitamin B12
Decreases the risk
of megaloblastic/
pernious anaemia
Folic acid
Decreases the risk
of megaloblastic/
pernious anaemia
Ascorbic acid
Increases iron
absorption
Vegetarian food
•Milk, lentils, green leaves, beans, whole grains
etc
Non-vegetarian
•Red meat, egg yolk etc

4. Cont.. Dietary Precautions
Not consuming
caffeine just after
meals
Eg- tea, coffee
Decreases ability
of iron
absorption

5. Parasite infestation
Reduces iron loss via parasite
infestations
Deworming on a regular basis
-
eg: Albendazole

6. Daily iron and folic acid supplementation in pregnancy
WHO recommendations
Dose Iron: 30–60 mg of
elemental iron
Folic acid: 400 μg (0.4 mg)
Frequency One supplement daily
Duration Throughout pregnancy
should begin as early as
possible
Supplementation during Pregnancy

7. Pregnancy
Avoid repeated pregnancies
less than 2 years
Avoid early teenage
pregnancies

8. Early Childhood
Avoid introduction of
inappropriate, non-
fortified substitute of
breast milk
Avoid too early and too
late introduction of
complementary food

9. Carrier screening
Partners
belonging to
ethnic groups
at risk of
being carriers
Pre-
conceptionally
or as early as
possible in the
pregnancy
Tests for screening
• Complete blood
count
• Hb
electrophoresis
/Hb high
performance
liquid
chromatography
• HbA2 and HbF
quantitation
If at risk,
genetic
counseling
• For thalassaemia and other haemaglobinopathies

10. Blood donations
Consecutive
whole blood
donations once a
two month
within a year,
should not
exceed 3l
Frequency
depend on
individual basis
Premenopausal
women not
often as men

11. Aplastic Anemia
Decrease the risk by avoiding exposure to
Insecticides Herbicides
Organic
solvents
Paint
removers
Other toxic
chemicals

12. Awareness
Campaigns
• Public awareness

13. References
• Prevention and control of nutritional anaemias – South Asian priority – UNICEF
organization
• Daily iron and folic acid supplementation in pregnant women – WHO organization
• WHO technical report series, No 540, 1994 Requirement for the collection,
processing and quality control of the blood, blood components and plasma
derivatives
• JOINT SOGC–CCMG CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINE,No. 218, October 2008 - Carrier
Screening for Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathies in Canada
• Davidson’s Principles and Practice of Medicine