Prevalence of Anemia and Its Associated Socio-Demographic Factors Among Pregnant Women Attending an Antenatal Care Clinic at Kisugu Health Center IV, Makindye Division, Kampala, Uganda

Abstract

Aims/Objectives

This study sought to determine the prevalence, morphological characterization and associated socio-demographic factors of anemia among pregnant women attending Kisugu Health Centre IV, Makindye Division, Kampala, in Uganda.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study that employed laboratory analysis of blood samples to determine hemoglobin concentration, and a structured questionnaire to obtain socio-demographic factors associated with anemia during pregnancy.

Results

We enrolled 345 pregnant women aged 15 to 43 years. The median, interquartile range, and mean Hb levels were 8.1g/dL, 6.4 ± 2.1g/dL and 7.9g/dL, respectively. There were 89 participants whose Hb levels were indicative of anemia, giving anemia prevalence of 25.8% (95% confidence interval: 21.6–29.8). Of these, 25 (28.1%) had mild anemia, 46 (51.7%) had moderate anemia, while 18 (20.2%) had severe anemia. Thin blood film examination showed normocytic-hypochromic (75.3%), then microcytic-hypochromic (21.6%), and macrocytic-hypochromic red blood cells (3.4%). The socio-demographic factors of gestational age, parity, and mother’s occupation were significantly associated with the risk of anemia (p< 0.05).

Conclusion

We report a high prevalence of anemia among pregnant women; with a majority of hypochromic-microcytic anemia. This may necessitate more anemia awareness and it requires institution of nutritional interventions to avert fetal-maternal complications.

Keywords:

• anemia
• morphological characterization
• pregnant women
• Uganda

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank study participants and the team at Kisugu Health Centre IV.

Abbreviations

Hb, hemoglobin; IDA, iron deficiency anemia; RBCs, red blood cells; WHO, World Health Organization.

Author Contributions

All authors participated in study conception and design, data acquisition, analysis and interpretation, drafting or revising the article, gave final approval of the version to be published, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work. All authors contributed to.

Funding

We did not receive funding for this study.

Disclosure

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.