title: Maternal anemia at first antenatal visit: prevalence and risk factors in a malaria-endemic area in Benin.
abstract: The risk factors for maternal anemia (hemoglobin level less than 110 g/L) were studied in human immunodeficiency virus-negative pregnant women in Benin at the time of first antenatal visit and prior to any prevention. Data for the first 1,005 pregnant women included in a multicentre randomized controlled trial were analyzed. Anemia was common (68.3%), and malaria and helminth infestations were prevalent in 15.2% and 11.1% of the women. A total of 33.3%, 31.3% and 3.6% of the women were iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 deficient, respectively. These parasitic infections and nutrient deficiencies were associated with a high risk of anemia. Twenty-one percent, 15%, 12%, 11% and 7% of anemia were attributable to malnutrition, malaria, iron, folic acid deficiencies, and helminth infestations, respectively. Most anemia was caused by factors that could be prevented by available tools, stressing the need to reinforce their implementation and to evaluate their effectiveness throughout the course of the pregnancy.
authors: Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Mère et Enfant Face aux Infections Tropicales, Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Paris, France. smaila11@yahoo.fr
authors: Smaïla
authors: S
authors: Ouédraogo
authors: Ghislain K
authors: GK
authors: Koura
authors: Manfred M K
authors: MM
authors: Accrombessi
authors: Florence
authors: F
authors: Bodeau-Livinec
authors: Achille
authors: A
authors: Massougbodji
authors: Michel
authors: M
authors: Cot
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D001541:Benin / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005494:Folic Acid Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D015995:Prevalence; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014806:Vitamin B 12 Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins