Anaemia is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency disorder in the world. It affects all age groups but the most vulnerable are preschool-age children, pregnant women, and non-pregnant women of childbearing age. Globally, anaemia affects 1.62 billion people, which corresponds to 24.8% of the population. The highest prevalence of anemia exists in the developing world where its causes are multi-factorial. National Family Health Survey statistics reveal that every second Indian woman is anaemic and one in every five maternal deaths is directly due to anaemia. This review will focus on recent advances in our understanding of the burden of anemia in specific sub-groups, the causes and consequences of anemia among women.
