Objective:

The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of anemia and predisposing factors contributing to anemia in pregnant women prior to delivery.

Material and Methods:

A retrospective case-control study was conducted on 1221 women who delivered between 37 and 42 weeks of gestation between July 2014 and January 2015. Data on the subjects’ socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, pregnancy outcomes, and hemoglobin levels within 24 h prior to delivery were collected. The study population was divided into two groups on the basis of the presence of anemia within 24 h prior to delivery. Anemia was defined as a hemoglobin level of <11 g/dL. The prevalence of pre-delivery anemia was estimated, and antenatal predictors of anemia were determined using multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Results:

The prevalence of anemia in women attending our center for delivery was 41.6% [95% confidence interval (CI) =38.84–44.37]. After multivariate logistic regression analysis, parity >3 [odds ratio (OR) =1.82, 95% CI=1.24–2.96, p=0.002], illiterate (OR=2.23, 95% CI=1.35–3.45, p=0.001) and primary educational level (OR=2.01, 95% CI=1.28–3.39, p=0.008), household monthly income per person <250 Turkish liras (OR=2.34, 95% CI=1.49–3.89, p<0.001), first admission at second (OR=1.63, 95% CI=1.24–2.81, p=0.006) and third trimester (OR=2.45, 95% CI=1.41–4.06, p<0.001), number of antenatal visits <5 (OR=1.45, 95% CI=10.5–2.11) and 5–10 (OR=1.3, 95% CI=1.03–2.09), duration of iron supplementation <3 months (OR=2.62, 95% CI=1.51–4.17) and 3–6 months (OR=1.68, 95% CI=1.13–2.91), and occurrence of preeclampsia (OR=1.55, 95% CI=1.03–2.1, p=0.041) were independently associated with anemia.

Conclusion:

Socioeconomic determinants constitute most of the anemia cases and, hence, should be considered as major risk factors of anemia in women attending for delivery at term.

Keywords: Anemia, delivery, perinatal outcome, pregnancy, socioeconomic factors