General Information About Megaloblastic Anemia
Disease Details and Frequently Asked Questions
It is a type of anemia where the erythrocytes (red blood cells) produced in the bone marrow cannot divide to their normal size due to incomplete DNA development and are released into the blood in a giant (macrocytic) and empty state.
There are two main causes: Vitamin B12 deficiency and Folic Acid deficiency. Malnutrition (strict vegan diet), stomach reduction surgeries, malabsorption disorders like Celiac disease, and pregnancy trigger these deficiencies.
Pernicious anemia is one of the most common types of megaloblastic anemia. It is the condition where Vitamin B12 cannot be absorbed into the blood due to an autoimmune disease in the stomach.
In addition to pallor and palpitations due to anemia; swelling/redness of the tongue (glossitis), pins and needles/numbness in the hands and feet (neuropathy), memory blurriness, and loss of balance are the most prominent complaints.
It is suspected when the MCV value, which indicates cell volume in the Complete Blood Count (Hemogram), is above 100. Definitive diagnosis is made by measuring Vitamin B12 and Folic acid levels in the blood.
If the problem is nutritional, oral Vitamin B12 or Folic Acid pills are given. If there is an absorption disorder in the stomach (Pernicious anemia), pills will not work, so Vitamin B12 is injected intramuscularly for life to provide treatment.
Our health library contents are prepared for informational purposes only and with scientific data available at the time of recording. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis, or treatment regarding your health, please consult your doctor or a healthcare institution.
