PREVALENCE OF ANEMIA IN PREGNANCY IN WOMEN ATTENDING ANTENATAL CLINIC IN KABWATA, LUSAKA, ZAMBIA
Abstract
Author(s): Pule R., Kristinsson S., Sijumbila G.
Anemia in pregnancy is regarded as a major risk factor for pregnancy complications.The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of anemia during pregnancy in all pregnant women attending ant enatal clinic at Kabwata Clinic in Lusaka, Zambia. Anemia was determined by hemoglobin estimation using a full blood count automated machine (pocH-100i), and the study was conducted over a period of 3 months. A prevalence rate of 32.8% of anemia in pregnancy was found and the most common was the microcytic hypochromic type.Anemia in pregnancy was found to be associated with the stage of the pregnancy and was most common during both the second and third trimesters. No correlation was found between maternal age, parity and anemia in pregnancy and the mean Hb level in pregnant women was found to be 11.3g/dl. In conclusion there is high prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy women attending antenatal clinic at Kabwata clinic in Zambia Key words: Anemia, Antenatal clinic, Pregnancy, Hemoglobin.
