Ferritin Decrease During Menstruation

Iron Loss During Menstruation

• Women of childbearing age require additional iron to compensate for menstrual blood loss, which averages 0.3-0.5 mg daily during the childbearing years 2
• Heavy menstrual blood loss (>80 mL/month) affects approximately 10% of women of childbearing age and is a significant risk factor for iron deficiency anemia 1
• Use of an intrauterine device is associated with increased menstrual blood loss and consequently greater iron loss 1

Impact on Ferritin Levels

• Ferritin is the primary storage form of iron in the body, with 1 μg/L of serum ferritin equaling approximately 10 mg of stored iron 3
• Women have significantly lower average ferritin levels (43 μg/L) compared to men (135 μg/L), largely due to menstrual blood loss 3

Implications for Iron Requirements

• Only about one-fourth of adolescent girls and women of childbearing age (12-49 years) meet the recommended dietary allowance for iron through diet alone 1

Clinical Monitoring Considerations

• Serum ferritin levels <15 μg/L are highly specific for iron deficiency, while levels <30 μg/L generally indicate low body iron stores 3