Anaemia in Pregnant Women in Labour and its Correlation with Newborn Birth Weight-How Far we have Reached?

Abstract

Introduction: Maternal anaemia is one of the important preventable causes of low birth weight in newborn leading to maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Maternal complications and poor perinatal outcome are highly associated with non-utilization of antenatal and delivery care services with poorer outcomes in unbooked than booked patients. Aim: To assess the haemoglobin level and type of anaemia in unbooked pregnant women i.e., without any antenatal visit and to identify if there is any correlation between maternal anaemia with fetal weight. Also to compare these findings with booked pregnant women i.e., who had at least 3 antenatal visits to see whether utilization of antenatal services affect fetal outcome. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional analytical study. Booked and unbooked pregnant women attending labour ward of a tertiary care hospital catering rural population with sample size of 60 in booked cases as control and 30 cases as test group without any co-morbid conditions except anaemia. Blood collected in EDTA was analysed on automatic hematoanalyzer for Complete Blood Count (CBC), haemoglobin level and Hematocrit values were noted. Also, newborn birth weight was noted in labour ward in kilograms. Results: Age and parity parameter showed no statistical significance in unbooked or booked group while comparing haemoglobin levels and newborn weight. Correlation between level of haemoglobin of pregnant mother and birth weight of newborn babies showed statistical significance (p<0.001) in unbooked cases. Also, in this group, 85% showed anaemia, with majority showing moderate grade of anaemia and iron deficiency anaemia being the commonest. Similarly, in unbooked group, intra group correlation between different grades of anaemia and mean newborn weight in each group showed significant (p<0.001). In comparative study between newborn weight, Low Birth Weight (LBW) accounted for 15% in booked group whereas in unbooked it accounted for 56.6%, the difference was found to be statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusion: Thus, though the incidence of unbooked cases is less at our institute but there is a significant correlation between anaemia and LBW in unbooked cases which needs to be addressed to reduce maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Also, moderate anaemia in booked group indicates poor compliance in spite of regular utilization of ANC services.

Keywords

• antenatal care
• fetal outcome
• maternal anaemia
• unbooked pregnancy