This is PediCast.

Welcome to Pediacast, a pediatric podcast for parents.

And now, direct from the campus of nationwide children's, here is your host, Dr. Mike.

Hello, everyone, and welcome.

Once again to Pediacast.

It is a pediatric podcast for moms and dads.

This is Dr. Mike, coming to you from nationwide at Children's Hospital.

We're in Columbus, Ohio.

It's episode 502 for September 8th, 2021.

We're calling this one Iron Deficiency Anemia.

I want to welcome all of you to the program.

We have another important topic for you this week, one that is not only important for children, but also for parents

and in particular mothers. And it's important because iron deficiency anemia is extremely

common, particularly among children and women of childbearing age.

In fact, if you consider the global population, the World Health Organization estimates

that 40% of all children, less than five years of age, 40% of all pregnant women,

and one third of all women of reproductive age are anemic. And the most common

cause of their anemia by far is iron deficiency. Developing countries are the hardest hit, but iron

deficiency anemia is still pretty common in the United States, affecting 9% of all children

between the ages of 12 months and 3 years, and 10% of all women of child-bearing age.

And anemia can have a significant impact on child and adult health, as we will discover.

It can result in growth and developmental delays, chronic fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, headaches,

...