Background: Maternal mortality and morbidity are increasing public health concerns in Afghanistan. Even more worrying is maternal death due to causes that can be prevented through maternal healthcare services utilization during pregnancy and delivery. Objectives: We sought to investigate the magnitude of women giving birth in a health facility and its associated factors in the 12 th district of Kandahar city, Kandahar province, Afghanistan. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study of women who gave birth in the last 2 years in the 12 th district of Kandahar city was conducted in early 2021. We used a systematic random sampling method to enroll 850 women. We collected data on sociodemographics, reproductive characteristics, and delivery practices of respondents. Factors associated with health facility delivery were identified using a multivariable logistic regression model. Results: The proportion of women who gave birth at health facilities was 71.8% (confidence interval [CI]; 68.61%–74.77%). In this study, health facility delivery was associated with husbands’ education (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.07, 95% CI: 1.50–6.31), antenatal care (ANC) services utilization (AOR = 17.84, 95% CI: 11.86–26.8), and history of complications in previous births (AOR = 3.65, 95% CI: 2.32–5.74). Conclusion: In this study, the utilization of a health facility for delivery was slightly lower than reported on the national level. Our study found potential factors such as ANC visits, husbands’ education, and history of complications in previous births, for which interventions aimed at enhancing the proportion of health facility deliveries.

Background. Anemia is a global public health problem that affects a large number of pregnant women worldwide. In developed and developing countries, the number of pregnant women who become anemic ranges between 18% and 56%, respectively. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of anemia and factors associated with anemia among pregnant women who visit Bost Hospital for delivery in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Methods. This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study that included 787 pregnant women who visited Bost Hospital for delivery services from January to June 2019. Data was collected in a self-structured questionnaire, which included sociodemographic, obstetrics, and laboratory information. Data was analyzed using SPSS 21.00 Statistical software. The prevalence of anemia was presented as a percentage. Bivariate analysis and binary logistic regression were used to identify the predictors of anemia among pregnant women. Results. The overall prevalence of anemia in this study was 51% (95% CI = 48.7%–54.7%). The mean hemoglobin concentration among the study participants was 10.8 (±1.8) g/dL. On bivariate analysis, age group 30 years and above, rural residency and unemployment/housewives, multiparity, and no previous use of contraceptive were found to be associated with anemia. Binary logistic regression showed that multiparity (AOR = 3.09, 95% CI = 1.81–5.29) and no contraceptive use (AOR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.08–2.16) were the independent predictors of increased anemia among pregnant women. Conclusion. Anemia was found to be a severe public health problem in the study area. Policymakers in Afghanistan must accelerate interventions to promote family planning. The need for prospective studies is also suggested to identify other factors associated with anemia among pregnant women.

Background: The burden of anemia among pregnant women is high in developing countries, with an increased risk of maternal mortality and morbidity in these settings.Objectives: The study aimed to assess the prevalence and determinants of anemia among pregnant women receiving antenatal care at District Hospital in Qarabagh District, Ghazani province, Afghanistan.Methods: Pregnant women receiving antenatal care in this cross-sectional study completed a structured questionnaire and Hemoglobin (Hb) measurement from September to December 2020. The study questionnaire collected information on respondents’ socio-demographic, reproductive and dietary characteristics. Descriptive statistics were used to describe anemia prevalence and other baseline characteristics. We employed bivariate and multivariable analyses to identify determinants of anemia. We used SPSS version 21 for statistical analyses. Results: Overall, 45.6% (CI: 41.64%-49.60%) of the respondents were anemic, of which 54.4% cases were mild. Pregnant women who were from households with low income (vs the high income) had higher odds of anemia (AOR=2.24; 95%CI:1.06-4.71). Husbands’ employment was strongly associated with anemia (AOR=2.04; 95%CI:1.04-3.97), as well as women who had a history of complications in last pregnancy (AOR=1.53; 95%CI: 1.02-2.28) and those who had irregular menstruation before this pregnancy had higher odds of anemia (AOR=2.21;1.35-3.64).Conclusion: The prevalence of anemia among pregnant women reflects a severe public health problem in the study area. Pregnant women from a household with low income, whose husbands were self-employed, and those who had a history of complications and irregular menstruation before this pregnancy were at higher risk of anemia. Hence, policymakers and health providers in the study area should take note of the results of this study to reduce the prevalence of anemia among pregnant women.