Anaemia in pregnancy-a cross sectional study in government general hospital, anantapuramu

Aims and Objectives: To study of the prevalence of anaemia complicating pregnancy in women delivering in GGH, Ananthapuramu. To assess the severity, type, identify the cause and to study maternal and perinatal outcome in these women.

Methodology: The study was done in Dept. of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Govt. General Hospital, Ananthapuramu from April, 2013 to March, 2014 to know the prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy. 2000 women who came in labour to General Hospital, Ananthapuramu labour room were subjected to detailed history, clinical examination and haemoglobin estimation by cyanheamoglobin method.

Results: About more than half of the study group were second or third gravid. About 46% of the patients had no antenatal care, about 55% women with antenatal care were anaemic. About 78% of the study group belonged to low socioeconomic status, majority of the women had deficiency in diet intake. Microcytic hypochromic peripheral smear picture was the commonest finding followed by dimorphic anemia. Puerperal fever, postpartum haemorrhage, neonatal admission to NICU were more in the anaemic women. There was significant difference in the incidence of low birth weight babies between the anaemic and non anaemic groups, being more in the anaemic group.

Conclusions: This study confirms that there is very high prevalence of anaemia among pregnant women. Iron deficiency is the commonest cause of anaemia. Antenatal care does not seem to reduce the occurrence of anaemia. It is necessary to identify the reason of such prevalence in spite of antenatal care. It may be useful to give intermittent parenteral iron to reduce the prevalence.