Burden and Predictors of Anemia Among Pregnant and Lactating Females in a Rural Area in India With a High Tribal Population

TL;DR

This study found that nearly all pregnant and lactating women in a rural Indian area with a high tribal population suffer from anemia, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.

Contribution

The study provides baseline data on anemia prevalence and its predictors in a high-tribal rural Indian population.

Findings

The overall prevalence of anemia was 93% among 388 pregnant and lactating women.

Anemia rates were high across all trimesters, with 92.76% in pregnant and 94.28% in lactating women.

The study identified the need for policy changes to improve maternal nutrition.

Abstract

Introduction

Nutritional anemia is a silent emergency particularly rampant in developing countries, especially among women of reproductive age group. This study was done with the objective to determine the prevalence and predictors of anemia among pregnant and lactating females in the Ormanjhi block of Ranchi district, Jharkhand.

Methodology

A community-based cross-sectional study was done on 388 pregnant and lactating females from July 2022 to June 2024 using a multi-stage cluster sampling technique. A pre-designed, pre-tested, semi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire containing different sections namely socio-demographic details, dietary history, menstrual history, obstetric history, antenatal history, medical history, behavioral history, and personal history was used. House-to-house visits were done for the collection of data. To estimate the prevalence, hemoglobin levels were analyzed using a digital hemoglobinometer.

Results

The overall prevalence of anemia among pregnant and lactating females was found to be 361 (93%) among 388 participants. Prevalence among pregnant females was 295 (92.76%) out of 318, and among lactating females, it was 66(94.28%) out of 70. The prevalence of anemia in the first trimester was 80 (80.45%) out of 87, 112 (94.91%) in the second trimester among 118, and 103 (91.15%) among 113 females in the third trimester.

Conclusion

There are concerns about stagnancy in the prevalence of anemia in pregnancy despite strong political commitments. A baseline data is generated from this study giving a clear picture of the exact prevalence and the predictors of anemia among pregnant and lactating females. This would help the policymakers to make warranted modifications imperative to improve the nutritional status of pregnant and lactating women and hence the children.

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