Anaemia : London Health

Anaemia is a condition that causes a lack of haemoglobin (the main chemical in the red blood cells). Anaemia affects around 14% of young women in the UK.

Causes of anaemia

The most common cause of anaemia is a lack of iron in the blood; women may also develop anaemia during pregnancy or after giving birth and following a surgical procedure.

Sources of iron

In order to protect against anaemia you should make sure you take in plenty of iron; iron-rich foods include red meat and poultry, leafy green vegetables and certain breakfast cereals (many have a ‘fortified with iron’ banner on the box).