Maternal Anemia at First Antenatal Visit: Prevalence and Risk Factors in a Malaria-Endemic Area in Benin

Abstract

Abstract. The risk factors for maternal anemia (hemoglobin level less than 110 g/L) were studied in human immunodeficiency virus-negative pregnant women in Benin at the time of first antenatal visit and prior to any prevention. Data for the first 1,005 pregnant women included in a multicentre randomized controlled trial were analyzed. Anemia was common (68.3%), and malaria and helminth infestations were prevalent in 15.2% and 11.1% of the women. A total of 33.3%, 31.3% and 3.6% of the women were iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 deficient, respectively. These parasitic infections and nutrient deficiencies were associated with a high risk of anemia. Twenty-one percent, 15%, 12%, 11% and 7% of anemia were attributable to malnutrition, malaria, iron, folic acid deficiencies, and helminth infestations, respectively. Most anemia was caused by factors that could be prevented by available tools, stressing the need to reinforce their implementation and to evaluate their effectiveness throughout the course of the pregnancy.

Prevalence of anaemia among pregnant women in Derna city, Libya

“…18,19 And lower in women attended to antenatal clinic at hospital of Potro Novo-Cape Verde, Benin 38.8% and in other two studies in Nigeria 23.2% and 29%, 16.6% in Northwest Ethiopia. 15,[20][21][22] Interestingly, this finding is higher to the overall prevalence found among pregnant women than other studies in the Middle East and North Africa, 40.08 % in Algeria, 26.2% in Bahraini, 27.1% in East Anatolian Province, Turkey, Jordan (34.7%) and (39%) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. [23][24][25][26][27] There are many reasons to explain this variation.…”

Maternal Anemia in Pregnancy: Assessing the Effect of Routine Preventive Measures in a Malaria-Endemic Area

“…The study site and population have been described elsewhere. 8 Briefly, the study was conducted in the district of Allada, a semirural area located in southern Benin. Malaria is perennial, and Plasmodium falciparum is the most common species.…”

“…The study sample examination techniques have been described elsewhere. 8 Hb rate was measured with a Hemo_Control photometer (EKF Diagnostics, Magdeburg, Germany) on 10 μL blood.…”

“…[5][6][7] In a preceding article, we had found that potentially preventable causes, such as micronutrient deficiencies and parasitic diseases, were the main factors associated with anemia in Beninese pregnant women in early pregnancy. 8 Because of hemodilution and increasing needs of iron and other nutrients for both the mother and the fetus, hemoglobin (Hb) levels decrease progressively in pregnancy, whereas in the third trimester, hemoconcentration results in higher Hb levels. 9,10 To prevent the consequences of gestational anemia on mother's health and pregnancy outcomes, several measures have been recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), including the administration of a daily iron and folic acid supplement in pregnant women 11 and the preventive treatment of malaria and intestinal helminths with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine intermittent preventive treatment (SP-IPTp) 12 and mebendazole (or albendazole), all administered at antenatal visits (ANVs).…”

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Anaemia among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in the Second and Third Trimesters at Pumwani Maternity Hospital, Kenya

“…Iron deficiency is the cause of 75% of anaemia cases during pregnancy [5] [10]. HIV infection is also implicated with high prevalence of anaemia in sub-Saharan Africa [11] [12]. Iron deficiency anaemia affects the development of the nation by decreasing the cognitive and motor development of children and productivity of adults [5] [13].…”