Anaemia during pregnancy in southern Tanzania

• Published in: Annals of tropical medicine and parasitology Vol. 96; no. 5; pp. 477 - 487
• Main Authors: Marchant, T., Armstrong Schellenberg, J. R. M., Edgar, T., Ronsmans, C., Nathan, R., Abdulla, S., Mukasa, O., Urassa, H., Lengeler, C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Leeds Taylor & Francis 01-07-2002; Maney Publishing
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Anemia - epidemiology; Anemia - etiology; Anemias. Hemoglobinopathies; Biological and medical sciences; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diseases of red blood cells; Feeding Behavior; Female; Health Services - utilization; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Humans; Malaria - complications; Maternal-Child Health Centers - utilization; Medical sciences; Parasitemia - complications; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - statistics & numerical data; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic - epidemiology; Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic - epidemiology; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Taboo; Tanzania - epidemiology; Tropical medicine; Africa; Tanzania; Pregnancy; Human; Association; Treatment; Anemia; Risk factor; Frequency; Hemopathy; Woman
• ISSN: 0003-4983; 1364-8594
• DOI: 10.1179/000349802125001221

Anaemia in pregnancy is associated with maternal morbidity and mortality and is a risk factor for low birth-weight. Of 507 pregnant women recruited in a community, cross-sectional study in southern Tanzania, 11% were severely anaemic (<8g haemoglobin/dl). High malarial parasitaemia [odds ratio (OR)=2.3] and iron deficiency (OR=2.4) were independent determinants of anaemia. Never having been married (OR=2.9) was the most important socio-economic predictor of severe anaemia. A subject recruited in the late dry season was six times more likely to be severely anaemic than a subject recruited in the early dry season. Compared with the women who were not identified as severely anaemic, the women with severe anaemia were more likely to present at mother-and-child-health (MCH) clinics early in the pregnancy, to seek medical attention beyond the MCH clinics, and to report concerns about their own health. Pregnancy-related food taboos in the study area principally restrict the consumption of fish and meat. Effective anti-malaria and iron-supplementation interventions are available but are not currently in place; improvements in the mechanisms for the delivery of such interventions are urgently required. Additionally, opportunities for contacting the target groups beyond the clinic environment need to be developed.