رسائل ماجيستير
English
2023
Anaemia in pregnancy and its relation to adverse maternal-fetal outcomes and risk factors in Oman
Maen Aljezawi, Phiona Gimono
كلية التمريض-جامعة السلطان قابوس · عمان
Anaemia in pregnancy is a major health problem affecting 36.5% of pregnant womenglobally. The occurrences of anaemia in pregnancy in the Sultanate of Oman is still highdespite of the several strategies put in place. Anaemia in pregnancy is associated withadverse maternal-fetal outcome that increases maternal and neonatal morbidity andmortality rates. However, the association is barely known in Oman. A better understandingof the association would give new ideas on how to improve current guidelines onscreening, treatment and prevention of anaemia in pregnancy.The purpose of this study was to explore the relation between anaemia in pregnancy andadverse maternal-fetal outcomes. The study also explored the risk factors related toanaemia in pregnancy in Oman.A quantitative retrospective comparison study design was used. Medical records ofwomen who attended antenatal care and gave birth at Sultan Qaboos University hospitalbetween 1st/01/2020 to 31st/12/2022 were examined. The sample size was calculated usingEpi Info statistical software version 7.2.5.0. Convenient sampling method together withinclusion and exclusion criteria were used to select eligible women. Women in Omanreproductive age 15 and 49 years, with singleton pregnancy, a record of third trimesterhaemoglobin were included in the study. Women were excluded if their first visit was attime of giving birth, had acute, chronic, hereditary and gestational diseases. Lastly, if thefoetus were diagnosed with congenital abnormalities. The study included 454 women withanaemia (Hb 11.0 g/dL) who were compared with 269 women without anaemia (Hb >11.0 g/dL). Data was recorded using data collection sheet and analysed with StatisticalPackage for the Social Sciences. The relationship was assessed using the Mann-WhitneyU test and Chi-square test with set P value ≤ .05.A total of 723 pregnant women who attended antenatal and delivered at Sultan QaboosUniversity Hospital met the eligibility criteria and were included in the study. Of these,445(62.8%) were anaemic and 269(37.2%) were non-anaemic. The risk factors that werefound to be statistically significant included; body mass index P ≤ .041, nationality p≤ .030, and weeks of gestation P ≤ .037. Nevertheless, parity, gravidity, antenatal visits,place of residence occupation showed no statistical significance. In addition, anaemia inpregnancy was significantly associated with adverse maternal-fetal outcomes likepostpartum haemorrhage with p ≤ .019, preterm birth with P ≤ .037, low birth weight withP ≤ .009, intrauterine growth restriction with P ≤ .002. However, LOS and CS were notstatistically significant.The results indicated that anaemia continues to be a severe health problem among pregnantwomen in Oman. Anaemia in pregnancy was associated with adverse maternal-fetaloutcomes and risk factors and it increases maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortalityrates. Early screening of pregnant women, routine provision of standard dose of ironsupplements, routine nutritional education, proper treatment of anaemia with doubledeffort in third stage of labour, would reduce the occurrences of anaemia and itsconsequences.