ICD-10-CM Code For Folate Deficiency Anemia: Group Overview

The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) code group D52 includes diagnoses for folate deficiency anemia and related nutritional anemias caused by insufficient folate intake or impaired folate metabolism. These ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes are used to document cases of macrocytic anemia due to folate deficiency, capturing disease severity, associated hematologic findings, and treatment-related complexity. Accurate coding within the ICD-10-CM D52 group supports proper claim adjudication and complete clinical documentation for appropriate reimbursement.

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ICD-10-CM D52: Folate Deficiency Anemia Overview

The diagnoses in the ICD-10-CM D52 group represent folate deficiency anemia, a nutritional anemia affecting red blood cell production. These codes target hematologic and nutritional conditions resulting from inadequate folate intake or absorption. Accurate coding is important for documenting clinical severity and supporting reimbursement for nutrition-related evaluation and treatment.

When to Use

Use a code from this group when clinical assessment and laboratory testing confirm folate deficiency as the cause of anemia. Codes are employed to document the need for folate-specific evaluation and management in patients with macrocytic or megaloblastic anemia.

ICD-10-CM Codes

4 rows

ICD-10-CM Code	Description
D52.0	Dietary folate deficiency anemia
D52.1	Drug-induced folate deficiency anemia
D52.8	Other folate deficiency anemias
D52.9	Folate deficiency anemia, unspecified

DRG Codes

2 rows

DRG Code	Description
811	Red Blood Cell Disorders with MCC
812	Red Blood Cell Disorders without MCC

Typical Clinical Scenarios

An elderly patient with progressive fatigue, pallor, and mild neuropathy presents to primary care for evaluation of chronic macrocytic anemia. Laboratory testing shows low hemoglobin, elevated mean corpuscular volume, and a low serum folate level without evidence of malabsorption or drug-induced cause; the anemia is attributed to dietary folate deficiency and managed as a nutritional deficiency. Typical codes: D52.9.
A pregnant woman in her second trimester is found on routine prenatal labs to have macrocytic anemia and a documented low serum folate; she reports poor dietary intake and nausea that limited early pregnancy nutrition. Because folate deficiency in pregnancy carries specific maternal and fetal implications and is the primary diagnosis driving supplementation and monitoring, a folate deficiency anemia code from this group is assigned. Typical codes: D52.0.
A middle-aged patient with chronic alcoholism and frequent vomiting is admitted for evaluation of altered mental status and severe anemia; labs reveal markedly low folate with signs of megaloblastic anemia and concurrent thiamine deficiency. The folate deficiency anemia is coded as a comorbid nutritional anemia contributing to the patients presentation and inpatient management. Typical codes: D52.8, D52.9.

Related Codes

D50-IRON-DEFICIENCY-ANEMIA

ICD-10-CM Code For Iron Deficiency Anemia: Group Overview

D51-VITAMIN-B12-DEFICIENCY-ANEMIA

ICD-10-CM Code For Vitamin B12 Deficiency Anemia: Group Overview

D53-OTHER-NUTRITIONAL-ANEMIAS

ICD-10-CM Code For Other Nutritional Anemias: Group Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

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When to Use

ICD-10-CM Codes

4 rows

ICD-10-CM Code	Description
D52.0	Dietary folate deficiency anemia
D52.1	Drug-induced folate deficiency anemia
D52.8	Other folate deficiency anemias
D52.9	Folate deficiency anemia, unspecified

DRG Codes

2 rows

DRG Code	Description
811	Red Blood Cell Disorders with MCC
812	Red Blood Cell Disorders without MCC

Typical Clinical Scenarios

An elderly patient with progressive fatigue, pallor, and mild neuropathy presents to primary care for evaluation of chronic macrocytic anemia. Laboratory testing shows low hemoglobin, elevated mean corpuscular volume, and a low serum folate level without evidence of malabsorption or drug-induced cause; the anemia is attributed to dietary folate deficiency and managed as a nutritional deficiency. Typical codes: D52.9.
A pregnant woman in her second trimester is found on routine prenatal labs to have macrocytic anemia and a documented low serum folate; she reports poor dietary intake and nausea that limited early pregnancy nutrition. Because folate deficiency in pregnancy carries specific maternal and fetal implications and is the primary diagnosis driving supplementation and monitoring, a folate deficiency anemia code from this group is assigned. Typical codes: D52.0.
A middle-aged patient with chronic alcoholism and frequent vomiting is admitted for evaluation of altered mental status and severe anemia; labs reveal markedly low folate with signs of megaloblastic anemia and concurrent thiamine deficiency. The folate deficiency anemia is coded as a comorbid nutritional anemia contributing to the patients presentation and inpatient management. Typical codes: D52.8, D52.9.

Related Codes

D50-IRON-DEFICIENCY-ANEMIA

ICD-10-CM Code For Iron Deficiency Anemia: Group Overview

D51-VITAMIN-B12-DEFICIENCY-ANEMIA

ICD-10-CM Code For Vitamin B12 Deficiency Anemia: Group Overview

D53-OTHER-NUTRITIONAL-ANEMIAS

ICD-10-CM Code For Other Nutritional Anemias: Group Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

Published by

Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

ICD-10-CM Code For Folate Deficiency Anemia: Group Overview

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ICD-10-CM D52: Folate Deficiency Anemia Overview

ICD-10-CM Code For Folate Deficiency Anemia: Group Overview

Sign up for ICD-10-CM Code For Folate Deficiency Anemia: Group Overview policy alerts

ICD-10-CM D52: Folate Deficiency Anemia Overview

When to Use

ICD-10-CM Codes

DRG Codes

Typical Clinical Scenarios

Related Codes

Which conditions are included in ICD-10-CM code group D52?

What does `D52.0` represent?

How is `D52.1` characterized in this group?

Why is accurate coding within D52 important for reimbursement?

Which DRGs are related to D52 diagnoses?

References

When to Use

ICD-10-CM Codes

DRG Codes

Typical Clinical Scenarios

Related Codes

Which conditions are included in ICD-10-CM code group D52?

What does `D52.0` represent?

How is `D52.1` characterized in this group?

Why is accurate coding within D52 important for reimbursement?

Which DRGs are related to D52 diagnoses?

References