Clara Lupembe  	MD	 <br/><br/>
Prevalence of anemia and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care at Songwe Regional Referral Hospital, Tanzania 

 - Mwanza, Tanzania:   Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences [CUHAS – Bugando]    ©06.08.2021 
 - Pages 40 
<br/><br/> ABSTRACT:<br/><br/>Background and objectives: Anemia is a global public health problem affecting both developing and developed countries; approximately 1.3 billion individuals suffer from it. Pregnant women are the most vulnerable groups to anemia. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of anemia and associated factors among women attending antenatal care at Songwe Regional Referral Hospital.<br/><br/>Method: A cross sectional study was conducted at Songwe Regional Hospital among pregnant women attending antenatal care in September 2021. Convenient sampling was used to select participants and data was collected using structured questionnaires. Data was analyzed using SPSS software version 20.<br/><br/>Results:  A total of 322 pregnant women were included in this study. Their mean age was 26.34 years. The overall prevalence of anemia using a cut off level of hemoglobin <11g/dl was 29.2%. Out of all anemic pregnant women about 80 (85.1%) were mildly anemic, 14 (4.9%) were moderately anemic and none had severe anemia while occupation status, average monthly income, iron supplementation, previous history of abortion and meat intake showed significant association with anemia.<br/><br/>Conclusion: Anemia in pregnancy in this study area was a moderate public health problem.   <br/> 
 = OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS  Anemia is defined as a condition in which there is less than the normal hemoglobin (Hgb) level in the body, which decreases oxygen-carrying capacity of red blood cells to tissues OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS  Anemia in pregnancy; Hemoglobin level below 11g/dl during first and second trimester and 10.5g/dl during third trimester. OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS  Antenatal care; The care that pregnant woman receives from healthcare professionals during her pregnancy.  OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS  Moderate public health problem; with regard to anemia, it is when the prevalence  of anemia is from 20.0% to  39.9%. 
 = ABBREVIATIONS ANC            Antenatal Care CI                Confidence Interval CUHAS       Catholic University of Health and Allied Science Hgb                Hemoglobin HIV              Human Immunodeficiency Virus IDA               Iron Deficiency Anemia LBW            Low Birth Weight OR                Odds Ratio RCH              Reproductive and Child Health WHO	World Health Organization 
<br/><br/><label>Publisher. No.: </label> Phone: +255 28 298 3384       Fax: +255 28 298 3386    Email: vc@bugando.ac.tz    Website: www.bugando.ac.tz  
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Personal Names: </label>--	Obstetrics & Gynecology --Undergraduate-- Dissertation