Prevalence of anemia and its associated factors among pregnant women in Yaqshiid district, Somalia

BACKGROUND: Anemia during pregnancy is a public health issue, particularly in underdeveloped countries, and it is linked to unfavorable maternal and neonatal outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of anemia among pregnant women undergoing prenatal care in Yaqshiid district, Somalia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From September 2022 to January 2023, a hospital-based cross-sectional study was undertaken at Alkeyraat Voluntary Hospital. Blood samples from pregnant women were checked for malaria and parasites as well as hemoglobin (Hb), erythrocytes, hematocrit, mean cell volume, and hematocrit. Structured surveys collected sociodemographic data. SPSS Version 25.0 was used to analyze the gathered data. Crosstab descriptive and binary logistic regression were used for the analysis. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The prevalence of anemia was 26.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.086-0.692), of which 20.0% were mildly anemic, 3.3% were moderately anemic, and 3.3% were severely anemic, with a mean (+/- standard deviation) Hb of 8.38 (+/- 1.90) g/dL. The following factors were found to be associated with anemia: living in a rural area (odds ratio [OR] = 0.337, 95% CI = 0.155-0.732, P = 0.05), having anemia during the second trimester of pregnancy (OR = 0.351, 95% CI = 140-879, P = 0.05), having one or two children (OR = 0.361, 95% CI = 0.150-0.868, P = 0.05), history of abortion (OR = 0.337, 95% CI = 0.155-0.732, P < 0.05), and history of blood transfusion (OR = 0.169, 95% CI = 0.063-0.456, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of anemia in the present study was low when compared to earlier studies conducted in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sudan, and Nigeria, among others. Regular visits to maternity care facilities and health education promotion efforts need to be emphasized more to improve rates of success.