Preeclampsia development and neonatal outcomes in pregnant women who were anemic in the first trimester

Abstract

Background/Aim: Anemia is a disease that can be easily treated, but it is still widespread worldwide. Anemia can affect nearly 40% of women. Anemia has been extensively studied and related to a variety of pregnancy complications. The primary purpose of our study was to discover the relationship between preeclampsia and anemia in the first trimester, and the secondary goal was to analyze the outcomes of newborns born to these mothers. Methods: This study was compiled as a retrospective cohort study. Age, gravida, parity, and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were recorded in a patient’s first visit file. Hemoglobin counts in the first trimester were analyzed as hemogram values. Those with a hemoglobin value <11 g/dl during pregnancy were classified as anemic. The patients' file records were reviewed to determine mode of delivery, birth weight, and Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, and Respiration (APGAR) scores. To confirm a diagnosis of preeclampsia, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) criteria were used. Results: After the exclusion of 186 women due to comorbidities and multiple pregnancies, 364 women were evaluated. The number of anemic pregnant women in the first trimester was 87 (23.9%), and 277 non-anemic women were matched with the anemic group. No statistical difference between the groups in terms of demographic characteristics, such as age, gravida, body mass index (BMI), and TSH were found. No statistical difference between the groups in terms of delivery type, infant birth weight, and APGAR scores were found (P > 0.05). Preeclampsia frequency was statistically higher in pregnant women who were anemic in the first trimester (P = 0.032). Conclusion: Preeclampsia was found to be more common in pregnant women who were anemic in the first trimester. Although it would seem that neonatal outcomes are unaffected, we believe that the unaffected outcomes are due to iron replacement. To avoid pregnancy complications, it is crucial for women not to be anemic prior to becoming pregnant.