| dc.description.abstract | Aims/Objectives: This study sought to determine the prevalence, morphological character-
ization and associated socio-demographic factors of anemia among pregnant women attend-
ing Kisugu Health Centre IV, Makindye Division, Kampala, in Uganda.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that employed laboratory analysis of blood
samples to determine hemoglobin concentration, and a structured questionnaire to obtain
socio-demographic factors associated with anemia during pregnancy.
Results: We enrolled 345 pregnant women aged 15 to 43 years. The median, interquartile range,
and mean Hb levels were 8.1g/dL, 6.4 ± 2.1g/dL and 7.9g/dL, respectively. There were 89
participants whose Hb levels were indicative of anemia, giving anemia prevalence of 25.8%
(95% confidence interval: 21.6–29.8). Of these, 25 (28.1%) had mild anemia, 46 (51.7%) had
moderate anemia, while 18 (20.2%) had severe anemia. Thin blood film examination showed
normocytic-hypochromic (75.3%), then microcytic-hypochromic (21.6%), and macrocytic-
hypochromic red blood cells (3.4%). The socio-demographic factors of gestational age, parity,
and mother’s occupation were significantly associated with the risk of anemia (p< 0.05).
Conclusion: We report a high prevalence of anemia among pregnant women; with a
majority of hypochromic-microcytic anemia. This may necessitate more anemia awareness
and it requires institution of nutritional interventions to avert fetal-maternal complications | en_US |
