Anaemia in pregnancy in an aboriginal population
Ong, H.C.
Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 77(1): 22-26
1974
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-5304 PMID: 4811560 Document Number: 74357
Of 278 pregnant Orang Asli women at the Gombak hospital, Selangor, Malaysia, 71 had Hb values below 10 g/100 ml, indicating anaemia. Of the 37 living in the deep jungle only 1 had such low values. Anaemia was severe, Hb less than 6 g/100 ml, in 4 women. Blood film morphology indicated that 4 had a pure microcytic, hypochromic pattern, indicating Fe deficiency, and 27 had a macrocytic, hyperchromic pattern, indicating folacin deficiency. The others had a mixed blood picture. Only 7 of the anaemic women were primigravidae, while 39 were gravida 5 and above. All anaemic women were malnourished. Helminth infestations were evident in stools from 36 of the anaemic women, hookworm in 20, Ascaris in 22 and Trichuris in 26. Of the anaemic patients 15 showed haemolysis as suggested by jaundice, reticulocytosis, palpable spleen and liver, increased urinary urobilinogen and serum bilirubin. Haemolysis was caused by malarial infection in 9 of these patients. Birthweights were similar for babies of anaemic and non-anaemic women and there were no deaths of foetuses or of mothers as a result of anaemia.