Anaemia among pregnant women at the booking clinic of a teaching hospital in south-western Nigeria

Abstract

Background : Anaemia in pregnancy is a global public health challenge. It is the commonest medical disorder of pregnancy and a major cause of morbidity and mortality in most developing countries. Aim : This study aimed at assessing the prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy and to identify the confounding socio-demographic factors. Methods : This is a cross-sectional descriptive study designed to determine the sociodemographic characteristics and prevalence of anaemia among pregnant women at their booking antenatal visit in a teaching hospital in Southwestern Nigeria. Pregnant women were enrolled for the study by consecutive sampling method at their first antenatal visit and the packed cell volume (PCV) was used to assess level of anaemia. Sociodemographic information was obtained from the case records of the enrolled women. Results : One hundred and thirty-eight (27.6%) of the 5000 enrolled women were found to be anaemic at the time of antenatal booking. Anaemia were more prevalent among primigravidae (33.9%) than the multigravidae (25.3%), although this difference was not statistically significant (P=0.079). Anaemia was higher among women with no formal education, those unemployed, single mothers and women with sickle cell traits. Conclusion : Anaemia in pregnancy remains a major health challenge in Nigeria with primigravidae identified as being those at most risk. So also are pregnant teenagers and women that book late for antenatal care (ANC). It is therefore important to educate women on early ANC booking and the need for compliance with prescribed medications in pregnancy. Key Words : Anaemia; pregnancy; prevalence; antenatal care; primigravidae; multigravidae; PCV