Patterns, Peculiarities and Associated Risk Factors of Anemia in Pregnancy: A Case Study of Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in North-Central Nigeria

Abstract

<i>Background: </i>Anemia is a prevalent medical disorder during pregnancy, posing a significant global public health burden. In developing countries like Nigeria, it remains a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. <i>Aim: </i>To determine the red cell morphological patterns, peculiarities (clinical characteristics) of anemia, and associated risk factors including socio-demographic factors, associated with anemia among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic of a tertiary care hospital in North-Central Nigeria. <i>Materials and Methods: </i>A prospective, analytical study on 415 pregnant women attending antenatal clinic over a period of 4 months was conducted. The red cell morphology, Packed Cell Volume (PCV), genotype, and HIV status of each participant were determined. Using structured questionnaires, their bio-data, obstetric and medical histories, and results of routine investigations were documented. Statistical software (SPSS version 20, Chicago 11, USA) was used to analyze the data obtained. Continuous variables were presented as mean±SD, and categorical variables were presented as numbers and percentages. Chi-square tests were used for comparative analysis and the level of statistical significance was set at <i>p</i><0.05. In addition, the association between anemia and socio-demographic factors, clinical characteristics, and risk factors were tested using Chi-square test. <i>Results: </i>Mean age of the study participants was 29.7±5.3 years. The mean BMI was 28.0±7.2 kg/m2, and the mean parity was 1.9±1.7. In addition, 7.8% of the pregnant women were HIV positive. The mean packed cell volume was 32.7±3.1%, and 42.5% of the participants were anemic, with 29.0% and 13.5% having mild and moderate anemia, respectively. The most common blood picture indicated iron deficiency anemia, with microcytic hypochromia and normocytic hypochromia. Educational level (<i>p</i>=0.00) and socio-economic class (<i>p</i>=0.00) were significantly and independently related to anemia, while gestational age (<i>p</i>=0.55) was not significantly related. Moreover, a history of fever during the current pregnancy was significantly related to anemia (<i>p</i>=0.01), while genotype (<i>p</i>=0.33) was not. Anemia was significantly related to HIV-positive status (<i>p</i>=0.00). <i>Conclusion: </i>Pregnant women should be encouraged to receive antenatal care, where they can receive hematinic supplements, appropriate investigations and treatments for fever or HIV. Poverty is a contributing factor to poor health outcomes during pregnancy. Implementing national and local policies to boost the economy can help alleviate poverty and improve health outcomes in pregnant women.