Iron-deficiency anemia is a common condition that can manifest as weakness, fatigue, pale skin, dizziness, and other unpleasant symptoms. In cases where taking oral iron supplements does not produce the desired effect or is impossible due to intolerance, intravenous iron administration (infusions/IV drips) becomes a quick and effective way to replenish the body's iron stores.

IV iron infusions may be recommended:

   
• for severe anemia;
   
• for gastrointestinal diseases that impede iron absorption;
   
• when there is a need to rapidly increase hemoglobin levels (e.g., before surgery or during pregnancy).
 

Important: before starting treatment, a blood test must be performed to confirm iron deficiency and determine its severity, as an excess of iron is also dangerous to health.

There are several types of intravenous iron preparations, which differ in composition, dosage, and possible side effects. Therefore, IV iron infusions must be prescribed exclusively by a physician after evaluating your condition and ruling out contraindications.

Procedure Cost

   
• Ferinject 10 ml — 370 euros (single administration)
   
• Ferinject 20 ml — 470 euros (single administration)
   
• Venofer 10 ml — 150 euros per infusion (course of 3–5 infusions, once a week, as prescribed by the doctor)
 

How the Procedure Works

To be prescribed IV iron infusions, you will need to provide recent (no older than 1 month) results of the following tests:

   
• Complete Blood Count (CBC) with White Blood Cell Differential
   
• Reticulocytes
   
• Ferritin
   
• Serum Iron
   
• Latent Iron-Binding Capacity (LIBC)
   
• C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
 

A consultation with a General Practitioner is also required. The doctor will assess the advisability and safety of the infusion and, if there are no contraindications, select the drug and dosage.

Contraindications for IV Iron Infusions:

   
• anemia not associated with iron deficiency;
   
• excess iron in the body (iron overload);
   
• impaired iron utilization (absorption disorders);
   
• hypersensitivity to the components of the drug;
   
• active inflammatory processes;
   
• age under 18 years.
 

If indications are confirmed, the doctor will issue a prescription specifying the required dosage.

Efficacy Monitoring

Follow-up blood tests to evaluate the result are usually scheduled 3–6 weeks after the last infusion.