Iron deficiency was not the major cause of anemia in rural women of reproductive age in Sidama zone, southern Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundAnemia, which has many etiologies, is a moderate/severe public health problem in young children and women of reproductive age in many developing countries. The aim of this study was to investigate prevalence of iron deficiency, anemia, and iron deficiency anemia using multiple biomarkers and to evaluate their association with food insecurity and food consumption patterns in non-pregnant women from a rural area of southern Ethiopia.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in 202 rural women of reproductive age in southern Ethiopia. Anthropometrics and socio-demographic data were collected. A venipuncture blood sample was analyzed for hemoglobin (Hb) and for biomarkers of iron status. Biomarkers were skewed and were log transformed before analysis. Mean, median, Pearson’s correlations and ordinary least-squares regressions were calculated.ResultsMedian (IQR) Hb was 138 (127, 151) g/L. Based on an altitude-adjusted (1708 m) cutoff of 125 g/L for Hb, 21.3% were anemic. Plasma ferritin was <15 μg/L in 18.6% of the women. Only one woman had α-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) >1.0 g/L; four women (2%) had > 5 mg/L of C-reactive protein (CRP). Of the 43 women who were anemic, 23.3% (10 women) had depleted iron stores based on plasma ferritin. Three of these had elevated soluble transferrin receptors (sTfR). Hemoglobin (Hb) concentration was negatively correlated with sTfR (r = -0.24, p = 0.001), and positively correlated with ferritin (r = 0.17, p = 0.018), plasma iron (r = 0.15, p = 0.046), transferrin saturation (TfS) (r = 0.15, p = 0.04) and body iron (r = 0.14, p = 0.05). Overall prevalence of iron deficiency anemia was only 5%.ConclusionIron deficiency anemia was not prevalent in the study population, despite the fact that anemia would be classified as a moderate public health problem.

Chronic inflammation was a major predictor and determinant factor of anemia in lactating women in Sidama zone southern Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study

“…In this study, iron deficiency was fairly high (31%) and prevalence of anemia was 19%, which was slightly lower than the 21% previous reported for women of reproductive age in the same study area [30]. However, iron deficiency anemia was only 7%.…”

“…Mothers in food insecure households are more likely to be undernourished than mothers in food secure households [49]. However, in our previous study food insecurity was not a significant predictor of low hemoglobin in women of reproductive age [30].…”

Prevalence, types and determinants of anemia among pregnant women in Sudan: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…In the current meta-analysis 13.6% of among pregnant women in Sudan had IDA. This rate (13.6%) of IDA was higher than the rate (5%) of IDA reported among rural women of reproductive age in southern Ethiopia [ 43 ]. However, 20.7% of pregnant women in Niger had IDA [ 36 ].…”

Hematological responses to iron-folate supplementation and its determinants in pregnant women attending antenatal cares in Mekelle City, Ethiopia

“…This was also in line with findings of Gebreegziabher and Stoecker in southern Ethiopian women of reproductive ages. Using multiple iron biomarkers, the authors found only 5% of iron deficiency anemia from 21.5 total anemic cases identified, supporting that iron deficiency may not be a major contributor of anemia in Ethiopia pregnant women as it is predicted before[37]. This suggests the need to consider anemia attributable to factors other than an iron deficiency in designing effective public health intervention program for anemia control.…”