There are many possible causes for anemia and several different factors may put you at increased risk of the condition. Some of these include:

• Family history: Having close relatives with an inherited form of anemia may increase your risk of developing the disease. The most well-know example of this is sickle-cell anemia, which is a recessive trait, meaning that if both of your parents have it, you will have it too.
• Poor nutrition: Deficiency of any of several vitamins and minerals in the diet can cause anemia including iron, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and folate. Protein deficiency can also cause anemia.
• Menstruation: Women of reproductive age (approximately 12-49) are at greater risk of iron deficiency anemia than men because they lose iron each month during menstruation.
• Pregnancy: Pregnant women are at increased risk for iron deficiency anemia because their bodies’ blood volume must increase by about 50% and also provides iron to the fetus for fetal hemoglobin. This can deplete their stores of iron and increases the risk of anemia.
• Chronic illness: Diseases such as cancer, kidney failure, rheumatoid arthritis, and other chronic conditions can increase the risk of anemia of chronic disease. These conditions can lead to a shortage of red blood cells and thus anemia.
• Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders: Inflammatory diseases that affect the GI tract can increase the risk of anemia. Examples include Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, peptic ulcers, and inflammatory bowel disease.