ANEMIA AMONG ANTENATAL CLINIC ATTENDEES AT HEALTH CENTERS IN KIGALI CITY, RWANDA.

Abstract

In many nations as well as throughout the entire world, anemia in pregnancy or gestational Anemia is a significant public health concern. A hemoglobin content of less than 11 g/dl is referred to as gestational anemia by the World Health Organization. The most frequent cause of gestational anemia is anemia brought on by iron insufficiency. The World Health Organization revealed that the magnitude of gestational anemia is 37% Worldwide. Previous studies revealed that gestational anemia is more prevalent in Africa with the prevalence of 41.7%, and that its prevalence is higher in developing nations than in industrialized ones. Africa was found to be the most prevalent especially in Sub-Saharan Africa in which Rwanda is located. In Rwanda the prevalence is 25% as it was shown by Demographic Health Survey 2019-2020. Although there are studies done and revealed the prevalence in Rwanda, there is no adequate data which shows the prevalence and associated factors of gestational anemia in different parts of the country. This research aims to reveal the prevalence and associated factors of gestational anemia in Kigali city. This will be useful for health decision makers to know where to put additional energy in preventive interventions of gestational anemia.  This study was a cross sectional study where two stage sampling technique was used. Level one was purposive sampling for selection of two health centers in each district of Kigali city and level two was systematic sampling method to select 385 pregnant women who were attending antenatal care visits at selected health centers. Those women represented all pregnant women in Kigali city. Before being tested for anemia, pregnant women filled the questionnaire. The purpose of questionnaires was to collect some information about their social demography, social economic status obstetric health and medical history which was used to analyze associated factors of anemia during pregnancy. Then the routine laboratory test of full blood count was done and from its results, hemoglobin concentration was recorded where women with less than Hg<11g/dl was anemic according to WHO guidelines. The data was analyzed using IBM SPSS software and variables which had p-value <= 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Descriptive analysis was done using frequencies in order to compute the prevalence of anemia. Then the type of bivariate analysis was done using crosstabs to analyze associated factors. Independent variables which were significant at this level were entered into binary logistic regression in order to adjust for confounders. After logistic regression, identified associated factors were identified variables which were significant with P-value <=0.05 were identified as factors associated with anemia in pregnancy. The prevalence was found to be 19%. The factors which are positively associated with anemia in pregnancy were having malaria within six months, being self-employed and being in third trimester of pregnancy where negatively associated factors were found to belong in age category of 20-24and in 30-34 .