A lack of iron in the blood usually caused by insufficient iron in the diet.
Iron deficiency, caused by inadequate iron intake in the diet or increased loss from the body, as occurs in hemorrhage or chronic bleeding. The major manifestation is anemia, corrected by iron administration.
This may result from dietary inadequacy; increased requirement of iron by the body, as in pregnancy or childhood; or increased loss of iron from the body, usually due to chronic bleeding. The most important manifestation of iron deficiency is anemia, which is readily corrected by iron therapy.