Which type of anemia is considered the most common?

Iron deficiency anemia is recognized as the most common type of anemia globally. This condition arises when the body lacks sufficient iron, which is essential for the production of hemoglobin—the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. Several factors contribute to the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia, including inadequate dietary intake of iron, increased physiological demands such as during pregnancy, and blood loss through menstruation or gastrointestinal issues.

Because of its widespread occurrence, iron deficiency anemia is often seen in populations with limited access to adequate nutrition or where there are high rates of blood loss. In many clinical settings, practitioners routinely check for iron deficiency as part of the workup for anemia, reflecting its significance in health care.

In contrast, the other types of anemia listed, such as aplastic anemia (a condition where the bone marrow fails to produce adequate blood cells), folic acid deficiency anemia (resulting from inadequate levels of folate), and sickle cell anemia (a genetic disorder affecting hemoglobin structure), are less common and occur under different sets of circumstances. These conditions, while important in their own right, do not have the same prevalence as iron deficiency anemia in the general population.