Impaired clotting and wound healing due to low platelets

Steps:

• Recognize symptoms: cuts/grazes fail to heal, blood clots poorly (inferred from incomplete phrasing).
• Link to physiology: Platelets initiate clotting via aggregation and aid wound healing by forming hemostatic plugs.
• Identify deficiency: Lower platelet levels (thrombocytopenia) prolong bleeding and delay repair processes.
• Match to options: Only low platelets directly explain both symptoms.

Why C is correct:

• Platelets are crucial for primary hemostasis; lower than normal levels (despite phrasing) cause bleeding tendencies and impaired healing, per hematology definitions.

Why the others are wrong:

• A: Higher fibrinogen enhances clot formation via fibrin mesh, improving clotting—not impairing it.
• B: Higher red blood cells increase viscosity but do not directly affect clotting or healing mechanisms.
• D: Lower iron causes anemia, reducing oxygen delivery and potentially slowing healing, but not altering clotting.

Final answer: C