| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2016 | Volume
: 33
| Issue : 3 | Page : 332-336 |
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The prevalence of anemia in pregnancy at booking in Abakaliki, Nigeria
Chidi OU Esike, Okechukwu B Anozie, Robinson C Onoh, Uchechi C Sunday, Okechukwu S Nwokpor, Odidika UJ Umeora
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
Correspondence Address:
Chidi OU Esike
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State
Nigeria
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0189-5117.199818
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Background: Anemia is the most common hematologic abnormality diagnosed in pregnancy. It continues to be a major health problem in many developing countries and is associated with increased rates of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. We do not know the prevalence of anemia in our pregnant population at booking in Abakaliki despite the aforementioned devastation of anemia in pregnancy, hence the need for this study.
Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study of 501 pregnant women who attended antenatal care at the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Their antenatal case records were retrieved from the records department and the antenatal records unit of the hospital. All the relevant information were retrieved and analyzed.
Results: Using the World Health Organization criterion of 11 g/dl to define anemia in pregnancy, majority of our pregnant women at booking, 283 (56%) were anemic at booking with 196 (69.3%) being mildly anemic and 87 (30.7%) being moderately anemic. None of our patients was severely anemic. However, using the Lawson definition of anemia in pregnancy as a hemoglobin of below 10 g/dl as the cutoff, 16% of the pregnant women were anemic at booking with 75 (14.9%) being mildly anemic and 5 (6.3%) moderately anemic. None was severely anemic.
Conclusion: Anemia in pregnancy has an unacceptably high prevalence in our pregnant population at booking, and all efforts must be made to correct this widespread problem as early as possible using the most appropriate and expeditious means to avoid preventable calamities. |
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