Which condition is not associated with an increased risk for normocytic anemia?

Normocytic anemia is characterized by red blood cells that are normal in size but reduced in number. This type of anemia is often associated with chronic inflammation or disease states, where the body may cause a decrease in red blood cell production due to underlying conditions.

D. Pregnancy does not typically lead to normocytic anemia due to the physiological changes that occur during this time. While pregnancy can result in anemia, this is more commonly due to increased blood volume leading to dilutional anemia (which can be microcytic). The body compensates during pregnancy through enhanced erythropoiesis and iron absorption, thus mitigating the typical risks associated with normocytic anemia.

In contrast, conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and chronic autoimmune disorders are all linked to systemic inflammation, which can cause normocytic anemia. In these scenarios, the inflammatory cytokines can inhibit erythropoiesis and disrupt the normal lifecycle of red blood cells, leading to normocytic anemia as a secondary complication of the underlying disease. This is why the other conditions are associated with an increased risk for normocytic anemia, making pregnancy the exception among the listed choices.