View Main Condition: Anemia
Folate-deficiency anemia is a decrease in red blood cells (anemia) due to a lack of folate. Folate is a type of B vitamin. It is also called folic acid.
Anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to body tissues.
Folate (folic acid) is needed for red blood cells to form and grow. You can get folate by eating green leafy vegetables and liver. However, your body does not store folate in large amounts. So, you need to eat plenty of folate-rich foods to maintain normal levels of this vitamin.
In folate-deficiency anemia, the red blood cells are abnormally large. Such cells are called macrocytes. They are also called megaloblasts, when they are seen in the bone marrow. That is why this anemia is also called megaloblastic anemia.
Causes of this type of anemia include:
The following raise your risk for this type of anemia:
Folic acid is needed to help a baby in the womb grow properly. Too little folic acid during pregnancy may lead to birth defects in a baby.
Symptoms may include:
The goal is to identify and treat the cause of the folate deficiency.
You may receive folic acid supplements by mouth, injected into muscle, or through a vein (in rare cases). If you have low folate levels because of a problem with your intestines, you may need treatment for the rest of your life.
Diet changes can help boost your folate level. Eat more green, leafy vegetables and citrus fruits.
M Ghosh is an Internal Medicine doctor in Rockville, Maryland. Dr. Ghosh has been practicing medicine for over 44 years and is rated as an Experienced doctor by MediFind in the treatment of Folate-Deficiency Anemia. Her top areas of expertise are Folate-Deficiency Anemia, Muscle Atrophy, High Cholesterol, and Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young. Dr. Ghosh is currently accepting new patients.
David Baltierra is a Family Medicine doctor in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Dr. Baltierra has been practicing medicine for over 30 years and is rated as an Experienced doctor by MediFind in the treatment of Folate-Deficiency Anemia. His top areas of expertise are Gestational Diabetes, Folate-Deficiency Anemia, Anemia, Priapism, and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Dr. Baltierra is currently accepting new patients.
Mark Goldstein is a Hematologist Oncology specialist and an Oncologist in Germantown, Maryland. Dr. Goldstein has been practicing medicine for over 21 years and is rated as an Experienced doctor by MediFind in the treatment of Folate-Deficiency Anemia. He is also highly rated in 14 other conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Childhood Iron Deficiency Anemia, Iron Deficiency Anemia, Hereditary Spherocytosis, and Dehydration. Dr. Goldstein is currently accepting new patients.
Folate-deficiency anemia most often responds well to treatment within 3 to 6 months. It will likely get better when the underlying cause of the deficiency is treated.
Symptoms of anemia can cause discomfort. In pregnant women, folate deficiency has been associated with neural tube or spinal defects (such as spina bifida) in the infant.
Other more severe complications may include:
Contact your provider if you have symptoms of folate deficiency anemia.
Eating plenty of folate-rich foods can help prevent this condition.
Experts recommend that women take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day before they get pregnant and through the first 3 months of their pregnancy.
Summary: The overarching objective of this two-phase project is to assess the effects of fortifying iodized salt with folic acid on improving women's folate status and thereby reduce the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs), which are highly prevalent in Ethiopia. The project will be conducted in two phases. The purpose of Phase 1, described herein, is to complete formative research in preparation for a comm...
Summary: Preoperative anaemia is common in surgery, with a prevalence between 10 and 50 %, and is an independent risk factor for morbidity and mortality. Anaemia is mostly the result of an inadequate erythropoiesis due to iron deficiency, lack of vitamin B12 or folate, and bone marrow diseases. Among the elderly, renal disease and chronic inflammation account for approximately one-third of all anaemia inci...
Published Date: January 25, 2022
Published By: Todd Gersten, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Wellington, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Antony AC. Megaloblastic anemias. In: Hoffman R, Benz EJ, Silberstein LE, et al, eds. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 39.
Kumar V, Abbas AK, Aster JC. Hematopoietic and lymphoid systems. In: Kumar V, Abbas AK, Aster JC, eds. Robbins Basic Pathology. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 12.