Prevalence of anemia and comparison of perinatal outcomes among anemic and nonanemic mothers

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of anemia is a significant public health challenge. Approximately half of all pregnant women in India experience anemia during pregnancy. This study aims to determine the prevalence of anemia and perinatal outcomes among anemic and nonanemic pregnant mothers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The quantitative research approach was adopted using a descriptive comparative design. The study was conducted in the Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatric departments of a tertiary care hospital. Hemoglobin (Hb) was recorded using antenatal records of pregnant mothers in their III trimester. Based on their Hb level, subjects were divided into two groups, anemic and nonanemic as per World Health Organization criteria. The subjects were followed up until the first week after birth. RESULTS: The prevalence of anemia was 48% [N = 410]; 70.6% had mild, 13.7% had moderate, and 15.7% had severe. The anemic group had a significantly higher incidence of low birthweight (30.9% vs 10.3%, P = 0.001) and preterm births (24.2% vs 3.2%, P = 0.001) compared to the nonanemic group. Additionally, there were significant differences in various quantitative perinatal parameters such as weight (P = 0.001), length (P = 0.001), head circumference (P = 0.001), chest circumference (P = 0.034), APGAR score at one minute (P = 0.022), and APGAR score at five minutes (P = 0.001) between the anemic and nonanemic. CONCLUSION: The maternal anemia is associated with increased risk of unfavorable perinatal outcomes. Identifying and managing anemia among pregnant women is critical to minimize adverse outcomes. Adequate antenatal care can play a significant role in preventing avoidable complications associated with anemia during the third trimester.