ANEMIA;

MODERATE TO SEVERE DURING PREGNANCY

Abstract

Background: Moderate to severe anemia during pregnancy is associated with
increased maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Therefore moderate to severe maternal
anemia is a high risk group and it is imperative that all cases of anemia should be identified and
treated to ensure adequate hemoglobin level before labour. Different countries have shown
considerable variations in the prevalence of moderate to severe anemia during pregnancy.
Objective: To determine the frequency of moderate to severe anemia during pregnancy and its
association with socio-demographic and obstetric characteristics. Study Design: Crosssectional
descriptive study. Place and duration of Study: This study was conducted from 1st
October 2011 to 31st March 2012, in the obstetrics and gynaecology department of Sir Syed
Hospital, a tertiary care hospital in Karachi. Methodology: The patients attending the antenatal
OPD between the gestational age of 20 to 41weeks who were moderate to severely anemic (
according to WHO criteria based on Hb level) were selected for the study. A self-designed
proforma was then utilized to obtain relevant information. This proforma covered sociodemographic
as well as patient’s obstetric characteristics. Result: The frequency of anemia was
found to be 42% (633/1507).Patients with moderate to severe anemia after 20 weeks till 41 weeks
were 323. Patients with moderate anemia were 268/323 (83%), while 55/323 (17%) women had
severe anemia. Majority of women with moderate anemia were multiparous between 26-32 years
of age and presented between 35-41 weeks gestation. Majority of women with severe anemia
were primigravidas between 18-25 years and presented in late third trimester. Conclusions: Our
study revealed multiparity, illiteracy, poverty and late antenatal booking as the factors responsible
for the severity of anemia during pregnancy. Therefore, anemia should be recognized as a
serious public health problem. The adverse effects of anemia can be avoided by counseling on
birth spacing and early antenatal booking.