Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Anemia during pregnancy is a public health issue, particularly in underdeveloped
countries, and it is linked to unfavorable maternal and neonatal outcomes. The aim of this study
was to investigate the prevalence of anemia among pregnant women undergoing prenatal care in
Yaqshiid district, Somalia.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: From September 2022 to January 2023, a hospital‑based
cross‑sectional study was undertaken at Alkeyraat Voluntary Hospital. Blood samples from pregnant
women were checked for malaria and parasites as well as hemoglobin (Hb), erythrocytes, hematocrit,
mean cell volume, and hematocrit. Structured surveys collected sociodemographic data. SPSS
Version 25.0 was used to analyze the gathered data. Crosstab descriptive and binary logistic
regression were used for the analysis. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
RESULTS: The prevalence of anemia was 26.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.086–0.692), of
which 20.0% were mildly anemic, 3.3% were moderately anemic, and 3.3% were severely anemic,
with a mean (±standard deviation) Hb of 8.38 (±1.90) g/dL. The following factors were found to
be associated with anemia: living in a rural area (odds ratio [OR] = 0.337, 95% CI = 0.155–0.732,
P = 0.05), having anemia during the second trimester of pregnancy (OR = 0.351, 95% CI = 140–879,
P = 0.05), having one or two children (OR = 0.361, 95% CI = 0.150–0.868, P = 0.05), history of
abortion (OR = 0.337, 95% CI = 0.155–0.732, P < 0.05), and history of blood transfusion (OR = 0.169,
95% CI = 0.063–0.456, P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: The prevalence of anemia in the present study was low when compared to earlier
studies conducted in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sudan, and Nigeria, among others. Regular visits to
maternity care facilities and health education promotion efforts need to be emphasized more to
improve rates of success.
Keywords:
Anemia, erythrocytes, hematocrit, hemoglobin, pregnant