Folic acid deficiency/Megaloblastic anaemia:
• slowly progressive
• due to poor dietary intake (especially in alcoholism), malabsorption (eg celiac disease), bacteria that competes for available folic acid, prolonged drug therapy (eg anticonvulsants), increased folic acid requirements (eg pregnancy)
• causes neural tune defects if deficient during early pregnancy; folate levels decreased; MCV increased.
• treatment – oral folic acid supplements
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