A 32-year-old female presents with fatigue, pallor, and pica. Blood tests show a low mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and low ferritin levels. What are the potential diagnoses and next steps?
These symptoms, combined with low MCV and ferritin, suggest iron deficiency anemia. This could be due to various causes including heavy menstrual periods, poor diet, malabsorption disorders such as celiac disease, or gastrointestinal bleeding. Further testing should include a dietary review, celiac serology, fecal occult blood test, and possibly gastrointestinal investigations like endoscopy or colonoscopy based on the clinical context.