HOME JOURNALS CONTACT

Pakistan Journal of Nutrition

Year: 2015 | Volume: 14 | Issue: 9 | Page No.: 553-556
DOI: 10.3923/pjn.2015.553.556
Prevalence of Iron Deficiency Anaemia among Pregnant Women in Urban and Rural Areas of Abia State
I.A. Onimawo and V.U. Onuoha

Abstract: This study aimed at identifying the prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia among pregnant women at different pregnancy trimesters in rural and urban areas of Abia state, Nigeria. Iron deficiency anaemia is recognized as the most prevalent nutritional problem in the world and has devastating consequences on the mother and foetus. The subjects that participated in this study were pregnant women (in their various trimesters) from an urban hospital precisely the Federal Medical Center, Umuahia and a rural hospital, General Hospital, Amachara, both in Abia State; who attended the hospitals antenatal clinics. Their ages ranged between 19-39 years. A total of four hundred pregnant women were used for haemoglobin assessment while two hundred women were used for serum ferritin assessment. The assessments were carried out using standard procedures. The haemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations were categorized using recommended standards. About 25% of the women were in their first trimester, 38% were in second trimester while 37% were in their third trimester. The mean age of the pregnant women was 28.54±4.71 years with a minimum of 19 years. The result showed that the prevalence of anaemia was 32.3% while 14% of the women were iron deficient. The prevalence of Iron deficiency anaemia was 33.3 and 30.8% among the rural and urban pregnant women respectively and mostly in their third trimesters.

Fulltext PDF

How to cite this article
I.A. Onimawo and V.U. Onuoha, 2015. Prevalence of Iron Deficiency Anaemia among Pregnant Women in Urban and Rural Areas of Abia State. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition, 14: 553-556.

Keywords: Iron deficiency, anaemia, pregnancy and trimesters

REFERENCES

  • Allen, L.H., 2001. Pregnancy and Lactation. In: Present Knowledge in Nutrition, Bowman, B.A. and R.M. Russel (Eds.). 8th Edn., ILSI Press, Washington, DC., ISBN-13: 9781578811076, pp: 403-413


  • Dallam, P.R., 1990. Iron. In: Present Knowledge in Nutrition, Brown, M. (Ed.). Nutrition Foundation, Washington, DC., pp: 241-250


  • MoH., 1993. Nutrition in Indonesia: Problems, trends, strategy and programs. Ministry of Health, Directorate of Community Nutrition, Jakarta, Indonesia. http://www.popline.org/node/311702.


  • FAO/WHO/UNU, 1985. Energy and protein requirements: Report of a joint FAO/WHO/UNU expert consultation. WHO Technical Report Series No. 724, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.


  • Fisher, W. and Fungua, 1979. Principle of Nutrition. John Wiley and Sons, New York, USA., pp: 85-103


  • Galloway, R., 2003. Anemia prevention and control: What works? FAO, UNICEF, USAID, WB, WHO, June 2003, USA.


  • Gopalan, C. and S. Kaur, 1980. Women and nutrition in India. Special Publication Series No. 9, Nutrition Foundation of India.


  • INACG., 1989. Guidelines for the control of maternal nutritional anemia. A Report of the International Nutritional Anemia Consultative Group, Washington, DC., USA., pp: 1-5.


  • NCCLS., 1991. Procedures for the Collection of Diagnostic Blood Samples by Venipuncture. 3rd Edn., National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards, Villanova, PA


  • Zavaleta, N., L.E. Caulfield and T. Garcia, 2000. Changes in iron status during pregnancy in Peruvian women receiving prenatal iron and folic acid supplements with or without zinc. Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 71: 956-961.
    Direct Link    


  • Obiakor, N., C.O. Asinobi and B. Ndimatang, 2005. Prevalence of anemia and intestinal parasites in pregnant women in Orlu local government area, Imo State. Nig. J. Nutr. Serv., 26: 45-54.


  • Pyke, M., 1982. Success in Nutrition. John Murray Publ., London, UK., pp: 155-161


  • Sari, M., S. de Pee, E. Martini, S. Herman, Sugiatmi, M.W. Bloem and R. Yip, 2001. Estimating the prevalence of anaemia: A comparison of three methods. Bull. World Health Organiz., 79: 506-511.
    PubMed    Direct Link    


  • Sharma, D.C., P. Ajmera, S. Sharma and P. Sharma, 1999. Association between serum iron and copper in pregnant anemic vegetarian women. SDMH J., 23: 37-39.


  • IoM., 1990. Subcommittee on Nutritional Status and Weight Gain during Pregnancy and Subcommitteeon Dietary Intake and Nutrient Supplements during Pregnancy: Nutrition during Pregnancy. National Academy Press, Washington DC., USA


  • Whitney, E. and S.R. Rolfes, 2008. Understandings Nutrition. 11th Edn., Wadsworth Publishing Co., Belmont, CA., Pages: 508


  • WHO., 2005. Physical status: The use and interpretation of anthropometry. WHO Technical Report Series No. 854, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.


  • WHO., 2001. Iron deficiency anaemia: Assessment, prevention and control. A guide for programme managers. WHO/NHD/01.3, United Nations Children's Fund, United Nations University, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, pp: 1-114.


  • Rusescu, A., 2005. Nutritional status of pregnant women, children under 5 years old and schoolchildren aged 6-7 years. UNICEF Representative Office in Romania, pp: 1-20. http://www.unicef.org/romania/brochure_final_En.pdf.

  • © Science Alert. All Rights Reserved