Risk factors of severe anaemia among pregnant women attending a Government Maternity Hospital in Tirupati, India: A multivariate analysis
Nagaraj, K.
Journal of Human Ecology 14(4): 237-240
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 0970-9274 Document Number: 624032
A descriptive study was conducted to examine risk factors of severe anaemia among pregnant women attending Government Maternity Hospital, Tirupati, India. Out of 201 pregnant women who have delivered during the study period, 98.5% were found to have anaemia (severe anaemia - 11.4%, moderate anaemia - 86.6% and mild anaemia - 0.5%) and 1.5% were not found to have anaemia. The socio-demographic and obstetric risk factors examined were subjected to univariate and multivariate analysis. Step-wise multiple logistic regression analysis has revealed that presence of maternal diseases (OR=5.21 (2.03-13.39)) and husbands educational status (illiterate Vs literate, OR=3.20 (1.26-8.09)) were the two risk factors which had strong and significant association with severe anaemia in pregnancy. To reduce the problem of severe anaemia in pregnancy, community based interventions need to be undertaken and existing ones strengthened to reduce maternal morbidity and improve educational status of people in the community.