Do you routinely refer young patients with iron deficiency anemia for GI evaluation?
In low-risk patients (age < 40) or patients with very obvious causes of blood loss or iron deficiency (menorrhagia, pregnancy), do you routinely perform GI evaluation to rule out occult GI blood loss?
Answer from: Medical Oncologist at Academic Institution
The answer is no, I do not. However, if after iron repletion deficiency persists, then I do. But as for pregnancy, unless there has been a precipitous and proven drop, I would definitely not do a GI workup during pregnancy.