Study of Type and Severity of Anemia in Antinatal Cases in a Mountanous Hilly Region of J&K India.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Anemia in expectant women is a seriousworld-wide public health problem with adverse pregnancyoutcomes. It remains one of the India’s major public healthproblem irrespective of the fact that it is preventable andeasily treatable. The present study was being done to assessthe severity and type of anemia in a hilly mountaneous regionof J&K India in GMC Doda.Material and methods: The present study was conductedamong the pregnant women coming for antenatal check-up inrural hilly mountanous region of J&K in GMC Doda.In thisstudy of two months duration, A total of 700 pregnant womenwere included in our study in the reproductive age group from18 to 45 years. Hb estimation was done with Sahli,s method.Anemia in this study was defined by using World HealthOrganisation and was classified into mild anemia (Hb 10-10.9g/dl), moderate anemia (Hb 7-9.9g.dl) and severe anemia(Hb <7g/dl). A peripheral smear was also made to study thetype of anemia as normocytic normochromic, microcytichypochromic, macrocytic or dimorphic anemia.Results: Out of total 700 cases, 574(82%) cases were foundto be anemic. The hemoglobin concentration ranged from5-12.5gm/dl with a median of 8.7gm/dl. Majority of thepregnant females were less than 30 years of age . Out of theanemic cases, 60% were moderately anemic followed by28% mildly anemic cases and 12% severely anemic cases.Morphological subtyping showed that majority of the caseshad microcytic hypochromic anemia (43%). Normocyticnormochromic anemia was 25% followed by dimorphicanemia in 27% and 5% cases showed macrocytic anemiaConclusion: The high prevalence of anemia in our study hintstowards more strict measures in investigating and screeningof pregnant women. Screening and treatment of parasiticinfections should also be encouraged. Health educationtalks on nutrition needs, education of mothers should alsobe carried out. Therefore to reduce the deleterious effect onhealth of mother and child early intervention by clinicians isalso needed.