Autosomal recessive inheritance

A severe case of iron deficiency anemia, showing marked microcytosis, hypochromasia, anisocytosis and poikilocytosis

Microcytosis is the presence of red cells that are smaller than normal. Normal adult red cell has a diameter of 7.2 µm. Microcytes are common seen in with hypochromia in iron-deficiency anaemia, thalassaemia trait, congenital sideroblastic anaemia and sometimes in anaemia of chronic diseases.

Vitamin B9 is most commonly known as folic acid or folate, terms often used interchangeably. Folate occurs naturally in food; folic acid is the synthetic form used in fortified foods and in B-complex supplements. The best way to get the daily requirement of all essential vitamins, including folate, is to eat a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods. The name folate is derived from the Latin folium meaning `leaf` — your first clue to identifying good sources of the vitamin in leafy vegetables. In this model, carbon atoms are dark gray, hydrogen atoms are white, nitrogen atoms are blue, and oxygen atoms are red. Interactive also available on white background. Please contact us at image@thevisualmd.com for details.

Pregnancy and Folic Acid