Prevalence of anemia and associated factors among pregnant women in Southern Ethiopia: A community based cross-sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundAnemia is defined as a condition in which there is less than the normal hemoglobin (Hb) level in the body. During pregnancy; iron deficiency is associated with multiple adverse outcomes for both mother and infant. Most of the studies conducted in Ethiopia on anemia during pregnancy were conducted at institution level and associated factors are not well studied and documented. Independent factors like, food security status, dietary diversity and intestinal parasites infection were considered by only a few of them. Hence, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of anemia and associated factors among pregnant women in Lemo District, Southern Ethiopia.MethodsCommunity based cross- sectional study was conducted from May-June 2015. Multistage sampling was used to include 507 study participants. Anaemia was diagnosed using HemoCue HB 301 and haemoglobin concentration <11 g/dl was classified as anaemic. Stool examinations were also done. Structured questionnaire was used as a tool to collect sociodemographic characteristics, individual dietary diversity and level of household food security data. Multivariate logistic regression model was employed to determine the effect of explanatory variables like level of education, level of household food security, dietary diversity, trimester of pregnancy, family planning before pregnancy, deworming, gravidity, iron intake in current pregnancy and soil transmitted helminthes on dependent variable anemia.ResultsThe prevalence of anemia was 23.2% (95% CI: 19.5%-26.9%). Factors associated with anemia were: low socio-economic status (AOR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.11–3.69), trimester second (AOR = 3.09, 95%CI: 1.41–6.79) and third (AOR = 3.68, 95% CI: 1.67–8.08), gravidity three to five (AOR = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.03–3.07) and six and above (AOR = 2.59, 95%CI: 1.37–4.92), not supplemented with iron (AOR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.02–2.91), low dietary diversity score (AOR = 3.18, 95% CI: 1.37–7.37) and hookworm infection (AOR = 2.69, 95%CI: 1.34–5.39).ConclusionAnemia has moderate public health significance in the area. Community-based interventions should be enhanced considering the identified associated factors.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Anemia among Pregnant Women Receiving Antenatal Care (ANC) at Fatima Hospital in Jashore, Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Participants who had family monthly income (Taka) (11,000 to 20,000 Bangladeshi Taka) [AOR (95% CI) = 0.45 (0.21 -0.98), P = 0.04] were less likely to be anemic as compared to those with low monthly family income (Taka) (<10,000 Bangladeshi Taka). The similar findings had also been reported in another study conducted in China [1], Southern Ethiopia [6], Dhaka, Bangladesh [25], Arba Minch, Ethiopia [26], Northwest Ethiopia [30], and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia [31]. Numerous studies have transpired that low household monthly income disturbs the household food purchasing capacity while affecting the household food security.…”

“…Anemia during pregnancy is a significant public health problem in low-income countries (56%) and developed countries (18%) [2]- [9]. Census and other exploratory studies estimated that anemia currently affecting 1.62 billion people worldwide and among those 56 million pregnant women were found anemic while contributing more than 115,000 maternal and 591,000 postnatal deaths globally every year [6] [10] [11] [12] [13]. Usually, Anemia during pregnancy is defined when the Hemoglobin (Hb) concentration level is <11 g/dl [14].…”

Health service utilisation lags behind maternal diseases or illnesses during pregnancy in rural south Ethiopia: A prospective cohort study

“…The burden of anaemia in our study was similar to other studies in Ethiopia [40, 41], and it was most likely caused by iron deficiency [42]. However, our findings show that that the uptake of Iron-folic-acid tablet supplementation and health service utilisation for anaemia was low.…”

Determinants of anemia among pregnant women in northern Ghana

“…Not surprisingly, anemia prevalence among pregnant women varies by geographical area, culture, seasonality and countries 23 such as 75% in the current study, compared with 18% and 57% in Ethiopia 24,25 . The high prevalence that we observed might be due to increased physiological demands for nutrients during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy 26 . It could also be attributed to increased demand for iron by the growing fetus, particularly during the last trimester of pregnancy 27 .…”