Hello,

Thanks for writing your query to us.

Hemoglobin of 8.3 is not normal. Normal Hemoglobin value in females is 12.1 to 15.1 gm/dl. That means your wife’s hemoglobin is low.

Hemoglobin is a protein contained in red blood cells (RBC) that carries oxygen to and carbon dioxide away from, the body's cells.

There are various causes of low Hemoglobin. Some of the more common causes are:
• loss of blood (traumatic injury, surgery, bleeding, colon cancer or stomach ulcer),
• nutritional deficiency (iron, vitamin B12, folate),
• bone marrow problems (replacement of bone marrow by cancer),
• suppression by chemotherapy drugs,
• kidney failure, and
• abnormal hemoglobin structure -sickle cell anemia or thalassemia

Since your wife has history of heavy bleeding during menses that indicates that her hemoglobin is low because of heavy blood loss.

Unless we know the cause for her heavy periods we will not able to stop further blood loss in her next cycle. I would suggest that you show your wife to a gynecologist & also get her sonography of pelvis done. This will help us to know whether she has any fibroid or any other pathology that is the cause for heavy bleeding. Fibroid is the most common cause of heavy bleeding during the periods.

Oral iron supplement can increase her hemoglobin levels so there is no need to worry. It is quite possible that your wife will feel tired, exhausted because of low hemoglobin. Try to improve her diet. Include iron XXXXXXX food items in her diet like Red meat, Egg yolks, Dark, leafy greens (spinach, collards), Dried fruit (prunes, raisins), Iron-enriched cereals and grains (check the labels), Beans, lentils, chickpeas and soybeans, Liver.

I hope I have answered your query. If you have any further question I will be happy to help you.

---