Abstract
BackgroundThe current evidence about anemia and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) during pregnancy remains elusive in China. The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of anemia and IDA and their risk factors in Chinese pregnant women.MethodsA nationwide cross-sectional survey of pregnant women was conducted during their antenatal visits. Using a multi-stage sampling method, 24 hospitals from 16 provinces across China were selected. Structured questionnaires were administered to collect information from participants and to extract clinical data from electronic medical records. Mixed-effects logistic regression models were performed to determine the risk factors associated with anemia and IDA.ResultsIn total, 12,403 pregnant women were enrolled, including 1018 (8.2%) at the first trimester, 3487 (28.1%) at the second, and 7898 (63.7%) at the third. Overall, 19.8% of women were diagnosed with anemia and 13.9% were diagnosed with IDA. The prevalence of anemia and IDA varied among regions and increased by gestational month, peaking at the eighth gestational month (24.0% for anemia and 17.8% for IDA). Pregnant women at advanced stage of gestation, non-local residents, multiple gestations, multiparity, pre-pregnancy underweight, and those experiencing severe nausea or vomiting during pregnancy, were associated with higher risks of anemia and IDA.ConclusionsThe prevalence of anemia and IDA during pregnancy are similar to those from developed countries and vary across regions in China.
Highlights
The current evidence about anemia and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) during pregnancy remains elusive in China
A systematic review of evidence from 107 countries suggested that the prevalence of anemia among pregnant women was 38%, impacting approximately 32 million individuals [3], of whom about 75% were manifested with iron deficiency [4]
To determine the risk factors associated with anemia and IDA, we considered all plausible factors from the literature, namely, demographic characteristics, gestational characteristics, anthropometry indicators, behavior and habits, nutrients supplementation, and gestational comorbidities; details of these variables were given in the data collection section
Summary
The current evidence about anemia and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) during pregnancy remains elusive in China. The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of anemia and IDA and their risk factors in Chinese pregnant women. A systematic review of evidence from 107 countries suggested that the prevalence of anemia among pregnant women was 38% (95% CI 33–43%), impacting approximately 32 million individuals [3], of whom about 75% were manifested with iron deficiency [4]. Anemia and IDA can lead to adverse health outcomes for both mothers and their offspring, including infections, premature rupture of membrane, fetal growth restriction, fetal hypoxia, premature birth, low birth weight and fetal death [8, 9]. In 2016, for example, there were 18,466,561 live births
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