Anemia and iron deficiency in pregnant Ghanaian women from urban areas.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence and identify risk factors for iron deficiency and anemia in pregnant Ghanaian women from urban areas.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study of 452 healthy pregnant women receiving prenatal care in Accra, Ghana, was conducted. A sociodemographic health questionnaire was performed and hematologic parameters were measured. Logistic regression methods were used to identify risk factors for anemia and iron status.


RESULTS
Complete data were available for 428 women. Anemia (hemoglobin <11 g/dL) was present in 144 (34%), iron deficiency (ferritin < or =16 microg/L) in 69 (16%), and iron deficiency anemia in 32 (7.5%) women. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for anemia was 3.4 and 9.8 if iron deficiency and malaria parasitemia were present, respectively; the OR was 0.6 if women were at > or =36 weeks of pregnancy. The adjusted OR for iron deficiency was 2.7 if women were at > or =36 weeks of pregnancy and 0.12 if they had sickle trait.


CONCLUSIONS
Although anemia and iron deficiency remain substantial problems in pregnant Ghanaian women from urban areas, their prevalence is less than previously reported.
Engmann
Cyril
C
Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7596, USA. cengmann@med.unc.edu
Adanu
Richard
R
Lu
Tsui-Shan
TS
Bose
Carl
C
Lozoff
Betsy
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population
D006454:Hemoglobins; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron