A 35-year-old female presents with fatigue, pallor, and pica. Her blood test shows a hemoglobin of 10 g/dL and MCV of 70 fL. What could be the potential causes, and what are the next steps?
This patient's presentation and lab results suggest microcytic anemia, which is most commonly due to iron deficiency anemia. This could result from inadequate dietary intake, malabsorption, or blood loss. The next step should be iron studies to confirm iron deficiency. If confirmed, it will be necessary to identify the source of blood loss, especially in menstruating women and all adult men.