Prevalence Of Anaemia In Pregnancy Research Articles

Factors Associated with Anemia in Pregnancy in Cascades Region in Burkina Faso

Objectives: To analyze the factors associated with anemia in pregnancy in the Cascades region in Burkina Faso.
 Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in antenatal clinics of the Cascades region in Burkina Faso during one month from May to June 2012. We collected data on socio-demographics and health characteristics of pregnant women attending these clinics. Hemoglobin was measured to assess anemia. Factors associated with anemia were identified through a multivariate analysis.
 Results: A total of 1763 pregnant women, irrespectively of pregnancy stage, were enrolled. The mean (SD) hemoglobin level was 10.6 (1.4) g/dl. The prevalence of anemia in pregnancy was 58.9%, 3.2% of them being severe. Factors associated with anemia were the absence of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria with sulfadoxin-pyrimetamin (OR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.0-1.7), number of pregnancies >6 (OR = 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1-1.9). Moderate consumption of local alcohol extracted from Palmyra was associated with a lower prevalence of anemia (OR = 0.7, 95% CI: 0.5-0.9). Surprisingly, anemia was not associated with supplementation with folic acid + iron (p = 0.60).
 Conclusions: Interventions which aim to reduce the prevalence of anemia in pregnancy in Burkina Faso should improve the coverage of the intermittent preventive treatment of malaria and support the limitation of births.

Non-anaemic iron deficiency in pregnancy: the views of health service users and health care professionals.

The prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy in Europe is 25% and that resulting from iron deficiency is estimated at 40%. The maternal and fetal morbidity of non-anaemic iron deficiency (NAID) in pregnancy is likely to be significant. To determine the views and opinions of health service users and clinicians concerning NAID in pregnancy in order to inform future research. Two semi-structured focus groups were carried out to determine health service users' views on anaemia and NAID in pregnancy. A questionnaire was administered to obstetricians, haematologists, midwives and anaesthetists to elucidate their views on NAID in pregnancy. The study indicated that health service users and clinicians were interested in implementing testing for NAID in pregnancy with serum ferritin, if proven to be effective at reducing the effects of anaemia and improving maternal and neonatal outcomes. Clinicians had reservations in the use of intravenous iron supplementation for NAID in pregnancy. NAID is now accepted as a target condition for research by health service users and clinicians. The focus of future research should be on screening for NAID and its treatment.

Predictors of anemia in pregnancy among pregnant women accessing antenatal care in a poor resource setting in South Eastern Nigeria

Background: Anemia in pregnancy affects about half of pregnant women and constitutes a serious health problem. Objectives: The aim was to determine the prevalence of anemia in pregnancy, as well as its pattern and determinants. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study conducted at antenatal booking clinic of Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki from February to July 2012. Hemoglobin <11 g/dl was regarded as anemia. Estimation of hemoglobin concentration, HIV infection, blood group, genotype and blood film for malaria parasite and erythrocyte morphology were done. Stool analysis was also done. Results: Prevalence of anemia in pregnancy was 58%. Anemia in pregnancy was a common finding among primigravida 82 (66.1%), social Class II 14 (56.0%), social Class III 98 (53.6%), social Class IV 45 (61.6%), social Class V 117 (65.4%), antenatal booking at 14–27 weeks 211 (70.3%), and antenatal booking at ≥28 weeks 47 (74.6%). The significant predictors of anemia in pregnancy include HIV in pregnancy (odds ratio [OR] =4.88 [1.09–21.84]), P = 0.04, obstetric hemorrhage (OR = 2.97 [1.27–6.97]), P = 0.01, malaria parasitemia (OR = 4.28 [2.28–8.03]), P < 0.001, primigravidity (OR = 0.04 [1.03–2.41]), P = 0.04, and helminthiasis (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Anemia is still a common finding in pregnancy, and important contributing factors include malaria parasitemia, helminthic infestation and HIV in pregnancy.

Study on Prevalence of Anaemia in Pregnancy in Rural Population of Pilkhuwa, Hapur U.P.

Study on Prevalence of Anaemia in Pregnancy in Rural Population of Pilkhuwa, Hapur U.P.

Does antenatal care attendance prevent anemia in pregnancy at term?

Anemia in pregnancy is one of the public health problems in the developed and developing world. If uncontrolled it is a major indirect cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. This is worst in settings with poor prenatal practices. Quality prenatal interventions therefore are expected to prevent or ameliorate this disorder in pregnancy. Nigerian scientific literatures are full of data on anemia in pregnancy, but few of them are on the influence of prenatal care on maternal anemia. This study, therefore, sought to appraise the role of antenatal care (ANC) services in the prevention of anemia in pregnancy at term in Nigerian women. The aim was to estimate the prevalence of anemia at first antenatal visit and determine if antenatal attendance prevents anemia at term among prenatal Nigerian women. To measure the hematocrit levels at booking and at term respectively and compare the proportion anemic at booking with the proportion anemic at term. A retrospective cross-sectional comparative study of 3442 prenatal women in a mission hospital in South-South Nigeria from 2009 to 2013. Venous blood hematocrit was estimated from each woman at booking and at term, and the prevalence of anemia for the two periods were compared. There were 1205 subjects with hematocrit of below 33% at booking, an anemia prevalence of 32.2% at booking in this population. At term or delivery at term 736 (21.4% odds ratio [OR] =2.3, P < 0.0001) of the 1052 subjects that fulfilled the study criteria had their anemia corrected, a 69.9% prevention, while 316 (9.2%, OR = 0.43, P < 0.0001) persisted despite their antenatal attendance. The subjects were similar in most of the confounding factors like parity, social class, mean age, body mass index and gestational age at delivery (P value: all > 0.05). The prevalence of anemia in pregnancy is still high in our setting. Quality ANC appeared a valuable preventive intervention that should be made widely available, accessible and affordable to all pregnant women.

Haemoglobin status and predictors of anaemia among pregnant women in Mpigi, Uganda.

BackgroundAnaemia in pregnancy is a major public health problem especially in the low-income countries where it is highly prevalent. There has been no recent study in Uganda about the factors associated with anaemia in pregnancy. We aimed to assess the current haemoglobin (Hb) status and factors associated with anaemia (Hb < 11.0 g/dl) in pregnant women in Mpigi, Uganda.MethodsWe assessed Hb levels of 2436 pregnant women at 28+ weeks of gestation at six health facilities, who were approached to participate in a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial of antenatal distribution of misoprostol (for self-administration after home birth or when oxytocin is not available). Women were administered a questionnaire and their baseline blood haemoglobin was examined using portable HemoCueR Hb 301 system. Predictors of anaemia were estimated using linear and logistic regression analysis.ResultsThe mean Hb was 11.5 (±1.38) g/dl and prevalence of anaemia (Hb < 11.0 g/dl) was 32.5% (95% CI 30.6%, 34.3%). After adjusting for measured confounders, factors associated with increased risk of anaemia in pregnancy were malaria infection (OR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.11, 1.58), Human Immuno-deficiency Virus infection (OR: 2.13, 95% CI: 1.36, 2.90) and lack of iron supplementation (OR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.36, 2.03). Intermittent presumptive treatment of malaria, maternal age and parity showed a weak association with anaemia in pregnancyConclusionThe high prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy in our setting highlights the need to put more effort in the fight against malaria and HIV, and also ensure that pregnant women access iron supplements early in pregnancy.

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

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

Prevalence of Anaemia among Pregnant Women in Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH) Port Harcourt

To assess the prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy and recommend a cut-off value for antenatal women in developing countries, a cross sectional study was carried out in the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH), Port Harcourt, a tertiary health care centre in Nigeria. 346 apparently healthy asymptomatic pregnant women visiting the antenatal clinic for the first time were enrolled for the study. Hemoglobin concentrations were determined using standard hematological procedures. Out of the 346 pregnant women studied, 50 (14.5%) were non-anaemic and 296 (85.5%) were anaemic giving a prevalence rate of 85.5%. There is moderate prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy in this part of the world. Since the mean Hb value of the pregnant women in this study was 11.25gldl and the pregnant women with Hb values around 10gldl are apparently healthy, a cut-off value of 10.0gldl may be considered ideal for defining anaemia in developing countries.

A Comparison of Capillary and Venous Blood Haematocrits of Pregnant Women in Nigeria: The Impact on Diagnosis and Prevalence of Anaemia in Pregnancy

Background. Volume of red cells in capillary blood varies from that of venous blood. The magnitude of this variation as well as its impact on the diagnosis of anaemia in pregnancy needs to be studied. This study demonstrates the disparity between capillary and venous PCV in pregnancy. Objectives. To determine whether capillary blood PCV (cPCV) differed from venous blood PCV (vPCV) of normal pregnant women in Enugu, Nigeria, and its effect on diagnosis and prevalence of anaemia. Methods. PCV was estimated using pairs of venous and capillary blood samples from 200 consecutive pregnant women at the Antenatal Clinic of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. Results. Participants' cPCV (median = 34.0%, IQR = 31.0–35.8) was significantly lower than their vPCV (median = 34.0%, IQR = 32.0–37.0) (Z = −6.85, P < 0.001). However, women's cPCV had strong positive correlation with their vPCV (r = 0.883, P < 0.001). The prevalence of anaemia among participants using capillary and venous blood was 33.5% (67/200) and 28.0% (56/200), respectively (O.R = 1.3 (CI 95%: 0.85, 1.98), P = 0.233). Conclusions. Capillary blood PCV was lower than vPCV among pregnant women in Enugu, Nigeria. Nevertheless, the prevalence of anaemia derived from cPCV did not differ significantly from that of vPCV.

English

BACKGROUND: Anaemia is a major public health problem during the pregnancy throughout the world. Globally almost half of the pregnant mothers are anemic. The hematological data representative of anaemia among Asian countries, India has highest prevalence and continues to be serious health problem. Studying the prevalence of Anemia in pregnancy aids in establishing the magnitude of the problem and helps the antenatal health providers in early detection and management. In a teaching hospital based a population study of Anemia in pregnancy is strong indication of true Anemia prevalence in the community, as large numbers of patients from different backgrounds attend the hospital. OBJECTIVES: The study was conducted to know the prevalence of Anemia in pregnancy in and around Bijapur, Karnataka. This study related with the Prevalence of Anemia in pregnancy in relation to age, gravida, parity, trimester and morphological types of Anemia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The material for this study is obtained from in-patient and out-patients attending the OBG department at Al-Ameen Women's and children's hospital, Bijapur Automated hematology analyzer - Sysmex-Kx21 and peripheral smear study were used to study the anaemia in pregnancy. 100 blood samples of those pregnant women whose hemoglobin was less than 11gm/dl were selected for study over a period of one year from January, 2012 to December 2012. The study was according to predesigned and Prescheduled proforma which includes detailed obstetrics history and systemic examination. LIMITATIONS OF STUDY: Serum iron, Serum Folic Acid, Serum ferritin, and Vitamin B12 assays, total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC), Zinc, were not done because they are costly and most of patients were from poor socioeconomic backgrounds. RESULTS: Blood samples of 100 pregnant women were analyzed & were found to be anaemic. This study includes magnitude of anaemia according to age, gravida and parity wise distribution of anaemia. degree, types of anaemia. Out of 100 pregnant cases, 70 had moderate degree, 12 cases had severe degree and 18 were mild degree anemia' Microcytic hypochromic were - 70 (70 %), Macrocytic Normochromic - 17 (17 %) and dimorphic anaemia- 13 (13 %).

English

BACKGROUND: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is the commonest medical disorder affecting around 80% of the pregnant females. Iron sucrose has better bioavailability, safety profile and patient compliance than oral therapy. OBJECTIVES: To determine an alternative iron supplementation with better efficacy, compliance and safety in treatment of iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy. METHODOLOGY: Thirty six pregnant women with haemoglobin < 10.0 g/dl and serum ferritin <13µg/l were included. Women received two doses of IV iron sucrose (200 mg). Hemoglobin, reticulocyte count and serum ferritin were estimated at baseline, 14 days and 28 days after treatment. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in hemoglobin levels, reticulocyte count and serum ferritin levels on 14 days and 28 days of treatment. Majority of the patients were free of side effects (80.56%). CONCLUSION: Iron sucrose therapy results in significant improvement of hemoglobin levels and iron stores. Iron sucrose injection is safe and well tolerated. INTRODUCTION: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is the commonest medical disorder affecting around 80% of the pregnant females. It is a major contributing factor to maternal morbidity, mortality and high perinatal mortality. WHO defines anemia as hemoglobin level <11gm% and hematocrit <33% in pregnancy. According to National Family Health Survey-3(2005-2006), the prevalence of anemia in pregnancy is 57.9% (1). There is an increased iron requirement of 1240mg during pregnancy (230mg obligate loss, 450mg for expanded RBC volume, 270mg for fetus, 90mg in placental tissue and 200mg lost at delivery). Woman saves 150mg due to amenorrhea and that leaves around 1000mg of iron to be supplemented. The Iron-Folic Acid (IFA) program was launched in India to provide free iron and folate to pregnant women to eradicate IDA. The reasons for failure of IFA program often cited are partial coverage of the population, inadequate dosing of the iron supplement, defective absorption due to intestinal infestations, diets containing high levels of iron chelators, poor compliance, short supplies at the beneficiary level, and lack of effective health education (2). Iron sucrose has minimal side-effects, and because it is administered intravenously (IV), it overcomes the problems with oral iron supplementation, including problems of compliance. Unlike intravenous dextran iron, anaphylactic reactions are very rare with iron sucrose. Blood transfusion is limited to those cases with severe anemia at term, established or incipient cardiac failure or infections. It carries the risk of transmission of blood borne infections, besides mismatched transfusion reactions.

Anaemia in pregnancy: A public health problem in Enugu, South-east Nigeria

The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy at booking and to determine factors associated with its occurrence in order to proffer solutions. This was a 12-month cross-sectional study of pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic for the first time (booking visit) at ESUTTH, Enugu, Nigeria from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010. Sociodemographic characteristics of the mothers were extracted using an already prepared proforma. The blood haemoglobin concentration and HIV status of the women were determined and the results were analysed. The prevalence rate of anaemia in pregnancy was 64.1%. Based on severity, 94.6%, 4.3%, 1.1% of them had mild, moderate and severe anaemia. The mean age of the anaemic women was significantly lower than that of the non-anaemic women (p = 0.0001). Those that had no formal education and those that booked for antenatal care in the 3rd trimester had a significantly higher prevalence of anaemia. HIV-positive pregnant women had a significantly higher prevalence of anaemia than HIV-negative pregnant women (p = 0.0072, odds ratio 2.37). It was concluded that the prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy from the study is unacceptably high. To achieve Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5, efforts must be geared towards its prevention to ensure a healthy baby and mother.

Impact of Plasmodium falciparum and hookworm infections on the frequency of anaemia in pregnant women of rural communities in Enugu, South East Nigeria

IntroductionMalaria and hookworm infections are common in sub-Saharan Africa and they increase the prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy with resultant poor pregnancy outcomes. This study was carried out to assess the impact of Plasmodium falciparum and hookworm infections on the frequency of anaemia among pregnant women in two rural communities in Enugu, South East Nigeria.MethodsA cross sectional descriptive study was carried out in a total of 226 women attending antenatal clinics at two rural Primary Health Centres (PHC) from April 2011 to July 2011(each PHC with 113 subjects). Socio-demographic data were collected through a structured questionnaire. Blood and stool samples were evaluated for haemoglobin estimation and malaria parasites, and stool samples examined for parasitic infection in all the women. Data was analyzed using STATA 10 software statistical analysis package. Student t-test was used for comparing mean values and chi square test for comparing categorical variables and level of significance set at p<0.05 and logistic regression was used to identify the risk factors associated with malaria in pregnancy.ResultsThe mean age of the women was 27years with range 18 - 38years and SD of 5years. Most of the women were housewives and over 50% in their second trimester. 53% of them had malaria parasites while 27% had hookworm infection. About 40% of the women were anaemic (haemoglobin < 0.001). Similar association was found between hookworm infection and anaemia (p <0.001). Though both malaria and hookworm infections greatly increase the odds for anaemia (AOR 18.06, CI 18.15 -39.99, P<0.001) and (AOR 5.28, CI 2.26-12.38, P<0.001) respectively, the odds for having anaemia in pregnancy was higher for malaria than hookworm infections.ConclusionPlasmodium falciparum and hookworm infections have significant impact on the high frequency of anaemia in pregnancy in our rural communities. There is need to strengthen the control program that has been in place with an integrated intervention to combat these parasitic infections in our rural communities, with mass distribution of antihelminthics as one of the included relevant methods, among others.

Sociodemographic factors in anaemia in pregnancy in south-western Nigeria

Background: Anaemia in pregnancy persists, especially in third world countries where poor diet, low levels of literacy, infections, infestations and cultural practices predispose pregnant women to being anaemic. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy and to identify the possible associations between socio-economic status and anaemia in pregnancy among antenatal care seekers at Baptist Medical Centre, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria. Method: A total of 350 pregnant women were recruited at booking from the antenatal clinic of the hospital. A standardised questionnaire was administered to collect sociodemographic data. The subjects were stratified into upper, middle and lower socio-economic groups according to a scoring system designed by Olusanya et al. for Nigeria and other African countries. Anaemia is defined as a haemoglobin level of less than 11 g/dl by the World Health Organization. Results: The prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy was 58.0% in the study population. Anaemia prevalence was significantly higher among the subjects in the middle and lower socio-economic classes: 78.3% and 80.3% respectively (P < 0.05). The majority of the severely anaemic subjects (80.0%) were from the lower social class. Conclusion: The prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy was found to be high in this population. Low socio-economic status is significantly associated with increased prevalence and severity of anaemia. It is recommended that the socio-economic situation of women be improved. This no doubt will help to reduce anaemia in pregnancy.

A study of prevalence of anemia and sociodemographic factors associated with anemia among pregnant women in Aurangabad city, India

Background: Anemia in pregnancy accounts for one fifth of maternal deaths worldwide and is a major factor responsible for low birth weight. In India, 16% of maternal deaths are attributed to anemia. The association between anemia and adverse pregnancy outcome, higher incidence of preterm and low-birth weight deliveries have been demonstrated. However, high prevalence of anemia among pregnant women persists in India despite the availability of effective, low-cost interventions for prevention and treatment. A knowledge of the sociodemographic factors associated with anemia will help to formulate multipronged strategies to attack this important public health problem in pregnancy. Aim: To study the prevalence of anemia and the various sociodemographic factors associated with anemia among pregnant women at an urban health center in Aurangabad city, India. Setting: Urban Health Center (UHC) of Government Medical College, Aurangabad, India. Study Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out from August 2006 to July 2008. A total of 352 pregnant women were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. The participants were included only after confirmation of the pregnancy. Statistical Analysis: Chi-square test, Chi-square test for trend. Results: Overall prevalence of anemia among the pregnant women was found to be 87.21%. Factors such as religion, level of education of women and their husbands and socioeconomic status were found to be significantly associated with the prevalence of anemia in pregnancy ( P Conclusion: Low socioeconomic class, illiteracy, Hindu religion were significantly associated with high prevalence of anemia during pregnancy in Indian women.

Severe anaemia is associated with a higher risk for preeclampsia and poor perinatal outcomes in Kassala hospital, eastern Sudan

BackgroundAnaemia during pregnancy is major health problem. There is conflicting literature regarding the association between anaemia and its severity and maternal and perinatal outcomes.MethodsThis is a retrospective case-control study conducted at Kassala hospital, eastern Sudan. Medical files of pregnant women with severe anaemia (haemoglobin (Hb) < 7 g/dl, n = 303) who delivered from January 2008 to December 2010 were reviewed. Socio-demographic and obstetric data were analysed and compared with a similar number of women with mild/moderate anaemia (Hb = 7-10.9 g/dl, n = 303) and with no anaemia (Hb > 11 g/dl, n = 303). Logistic regression analysis was performed separately for each of the outcome measures: preeclampsia, eclampsia, preterm birth, low birth weight (LBW) and stillbirth.ResultsThere were 9578 deliveries at Kassala hospital, 4012 (41.8%) women had anaemia and 303 (3.2%) had severe anaemia. The corrected risk for preeclampsia increased only in severe anaemia (OR = 3.6, 95% CI: 1.4-9.1, P = 0.007). Compared with women with no anaemia, the risk of LBW was 2.5 times higher in women with mild/moderate anaemia (95% CI: 1.1-5.7), and 8.0 times higher in women with severe anaemia (95% CI: 3.8-16.0). The risk of preterm delivery increased significantly with the severity of anaemia (OR = 3.2 for women with mild/moderate anaemia and OR = 6.6 for women with severe anaemia, compared with women with no anaemia). The corrected risk for stillbirth increased only in severe anaemia (OR = 4.3, 95% CI: 1.9-9.1, P < 0.001).ConclusionsThe greater the severity of the anaemia during pregnancy, the greater the risk of preeclampsia, preterm delivery, LBW and stillbirth. Preventive measures should be undertaken to decrease the prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy.

Anemia in pregnancy and its association with pregnancy outcomes in the Arctic Russian town of Monchegorsk, 1973–2002

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of anemia in pregnancy in Monchegorsk, north-west Russia, and to analyse its association with birth weight and the risk of stillbirth and preterm birth.Study design. A registry study based on the Kola Birth Registry. Methods. A total of 24,525 women who gave birth in Monchegorsk between 1973 and 2002 and who had data on anemia in pregnancy in the Kola Birth Registry (KBR) were included in the study. For these women, data on maternal anemia, age, occupation, marital status, parity, smoking, alcohol, gestational age, birth weight, stillbirth and year of delivery were obtained from the KBR. Linear regression was used to study the effect of maternal anemia on birth weight. Logistic regression was used to estimate the effect of anemia on the risks of stillbirth and preterm birth, with adjustment for the above-mentioned characteristics. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) were calculated.Results. The prevalence of anemia increased from 43.7% in the 1970s to 89.8% in the beginning of the 2000s. Infants born to women with anemia were 48 grams (95% CI 36, 59) heavier than infants of non-anemic women. Women with anemia in pregnancy were less likely to have stillbirths (OR=0.68; 95% CI 0.52, 0.89) and preterm births (OR=0.66; 95% CI 0.58, 0.75) after adjustment for potential confounders.Conclusion. The prevalence of anemia in pregnant women as defined by the KBR more than doubled during the 30-year period. Positive associations with birth weight and negative associations with the risk of stillbirth and live preterm birth were observed.

Malaria parasitaemia among pregnant women in a rural community of eastern Nigeria; need for combined measures

Malaria in pregnancy is a major contributor to adverse maternal and perinatal outcome. In hyper endemic areas like ours, it is a common cause of anaemia in pregnancy in both immune and non-immune individuals and is aggravated by poor socioeconomic circumstances. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of asymptomatic malaria parasitaemia among pregnant women in a rural setting. 272 pregnant women, aged between 18 and 40 years in some remote rural areas of Ebonyi State, Nigeria were recruited between January 2007 and March 2008.Their blood samples were collected and examined for malaria parasite, haemoglobin and packed cell volume using standard methods. Our results showed 59.9% prevalence of parasitaemia with the highest prevalence occurring in the first trimester [84.1%]. Among the positive cases, mild parasitaemia was recorded in 47.2% moderate parasitaemia in 37.4% while severe parasitaemia was recorded in 15.3% of cases. These differences were statistically significant [P<0.016]. Furthermore the distribution of malaria densities in different gravidity groups showed an inverse relationship, 45.4% in primigravidae, [31.9%] in secundigravidae and [10.4%] among people with more than five pregnancies. These findings were statistically significant [P<0.0001]. The prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy in this study was 62.4%. Apart from the use of nets, drugs and vector control, the prevention of malaria in pregnancy in very poor socioeconomic settings should make provision for nutritional support.

Prevalence and risk factors for anaemia in pregnant women: a population-based prospective cohort study in China

Maternal anaemia is a common pregnancy complication in developing countries; however, its epidemiology remains largely unexplored in China. This study was designed to explore the epidemiology and risk factors of anaemia during pregnancy. A prospective cohort study was conducted, using data from a population-based pregnancy-monitoring system in 13 counties in East China (1993-96). Women who delivered singleton infants at 20-44 weeks with at least one haemoglobin assessment during pregnancy were included (n = 164 667). The prevalence of anaemia (haemoglobin < 10 g/dL) during pregnancy as well as in each trimester was estimated. Multivariable log-binomial regression models were used to evaluate risk factors. The overall prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy was 32.6%, with substantial variations across trimesters (11.2%, 20.1% and 26.2% in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters respectively). Risk factors for anaemia included older maternal age, education below junior high school (prevalence rate ratio [RR] 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08, 1.12), farming occupation (1.05, 95% CI 1.03, 1.06), and mild pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) (RR 1.09, 95% CI 1.05, 1.13) and severe PIH (RR 1.13, 95% CI 1.06, 1.19). Peri-conception folic acid use was associated with a reduced risk for anaemia in the 1st trimester (RR 0.75, 95% CI 0.72, 0.78). Initiating prenatal care after the 1st trimester was associated with increased risk of anaemia in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. Our study found anaemia during pregnancy is highly prevalent in this indigenous Chinese population. The risk increases with the severity of hypertensive disorders. Folic acid supplementation during the peri-conception period is associated with reduced risk of 1st trimester anaemia.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Anaemia Among Pregnant women in Nigeria

To assess the prevalence and risk factors of anaemia in pregnancy and recommend a cut-off value for antenatal women in developing countries, a cross sectional study was carried in the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, a 523 bed tertiary health care institution in Nigeria. 1371 apparently healthy asymptomatic pregnant women visiting the antenatal clinic for the first time were enrolled for the study. Another 60 age-matched non-pregnant apparently healthy women served as controls. Haemoglobin concentration, malaria, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)S, haemoglobin electrophoretic pattern and C-reactive protein as marker of infection were investigated using stan- dard haematological and serological procedures. Anaemia in pregnancy (Hb <11.0g/dl) and (Hb<10.0g/dl) were found to be 23.2% and 6.7% respectively. The aetiology of anaemia was found to be multifactorial; 40.2% had anaemia of infec- tion, 20.3% had Plasmodium falciparum alone, 8.5% had HIV alone, 2.5% had HIV and malaria parasite co-infection; 8.9% undetermined infections and 0.6% had sickle cell anaemia. There is moderate prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy in this part of the world. Since the mean Hb value of the pregnant women in this study was 11.62±1.21g/dl and the pregnant women with Hb values around 10g/dl are apparently healthy, a cut-off value of 10.0g/dl may be considered ideal for de- fining anaemia in pregnancy in developing countries.