2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code O90.81Anemia of the puerperium

ICD-10-CM CodesO00-O9AO85-O92O90

ICD-10-CM O90.81
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

O90.81 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for anemia of the puerperium. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). The code is restricted by the Medicare Code Editor to maternity cases (age 9 through 64). Coders also document this condition as anemia during the puerperium. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Complications specified during the puerperium.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
O90.81
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Anemia of the puerperium
Short Description
Anemia of the puerperium
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
Other complications of the puerperium, not elsewhere classified

Code Classification

ChapterO00-O9APregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium
SectionO85-O92Complications predominantly related to the puerperium
CategoryO90Complications of the puerperium, not elsewhere classified
This CodeO90.81Anemia of the puerperium

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for O90.81.

The Medicare Code Editor detects inconsistencies in maternity cases by checking a patient's age and any diagnosis on the patient's record. The maternity code edits apply to patients age ange is 9–64 years inclusive (e.g., diabetes in pregnancy, antepartum pulmonary complication).

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Anemia during the puerperium
  • Blood dyscrasia puerperal
  • Postpartum iron deficiency anemia

Tabular List NotesGuidance

Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.

Inclusion Terms

  • Postpartum anemia NOS

Type 1 Excludes

  • pre-existing anemia complicating the puerperium O99.03

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Anemia(essential) (general) (hemoglobin deficiency) (infantile) (primary) (profound)
      • postpartum
    • Puerperal, puerperium(complicated by, complications)
      • anemia

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR PRG027
Complications specified during the puerperium
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Anemia

If you have anemia, your blood does not carry enough oxygen to the rest of your body. The most common cause of anemia is not having enough iron. Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein that gives the red color to blood. It carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert O90.81 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
648.24 Anemia-postpartum
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About O90.81Overview

Is O90.81 a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report anemia of the puerperium on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Who can O90.81 be reported for?

The Medicare Code Editor checks anemia of the puerperium against patient demographics: this code is intended for maternity cases (age 9 through 64). Claims outside these limits are flagged as inconsistent.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of O90.81?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, anemia of the puerperium converts to ICD-9-CM 648.24 (anemia-postpartum). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.