Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is the most prevalent cause of anemia, affecting a significant proportion of the population, particularly women and the elderly. This anemia is attributed to depleted iron stores, a direct consequence of the loss or reduction of iron intake or absorption. In addition to having lower iron stores, female blood donors exhibit another factor that is directly associated with iron deficiency, namely, heavy menstrual cycles.

The objective of this study is to establish a correlation between the age of blood donors and the prevalence of iron deficiency.

This study was conducted through a descriptive analysis of female blood donors at the Amazonas Hematology and Hemotherapy Hospital Foundation (HEMOAM). All participants were over 18 years of age and eligible to donate according to clinical and laboratory screening criteria. A comprehensive array of epidemiological and clinical data was meticulously collected through in-depth interviews conducted prior to the donation process. Concurrently, blood samples were obtained for rigorous hematologic analysis and serum iron profile assessment.

The study's sample population comprised 400 donors. The mean age of the participants was 32 years, with 92% of them falling within the childbearing age range of 18 to 49 years. Following the measurement of the iron profile, the subjects were divided into two distinct groups: the first group exhibited ferritin levels below 30 ng/mL (32.8%), while the second group demonstrated normal iron stores (68.2%). When the data were correlated with age, the highest frequency of deficiency occurred between 21 and 29 years of age (46.7% of cases) compared to the other age groups. As anticipated, the prevalence of deficiency exhibited a gradual decline between the ages of 30 and 39 (25.2%) and 40 and 49 (16.8%). The results of this study demonstrated that the prevalence of deficiency in the age group of 21 and 29 was 1.85 times higher than that of 30 and 39 years and 2.78 times higher than that of 40 and 49 years. The study also found that 37.5% of donors with iron deficiency had severe dysmenorrhea.

A previous study conducted in the Amazon region revealed a high prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency among blood donors, particularly among women of childbearing age. It is estimated that approximately 250 mg of iron is lost with each donation, unless adequate replenishment occurs. This can result in iron deficiency. For women with physiologically lower stores, this can result in iron deficiency anemia from the initial donation. Serum ferritin, a marker of both iron status and inflammation, reflects the depletion of iron stores. However, additional losses associated with menstruation have been shown to affect iron stores, with variations observed from person to person, ranging from normal losses to heavy menstruation, associated with gynecological diseases with dysmenorrhea. Research indicates a potential link between menstruation and iron deficiency, a condition that can lead to anemia that is difficult to treat. The demographic of blood donors is predominantly composed of women of childbearing age, a subset of the population that is concomitantly subject to a heightened risk of iron deficiency. This heightened risk, in turn, exerts a direct influence on the prevalence of iron deficiency among blood donors. The implementation of ferritin measurement among iron donors has the potential to enhance the safety of blood donation.