title: Prevalence of anemia in pregnant women and its effect on neonatal outcomes in Northeast India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of anemia in pregnant women and characterize its effect on neonatal outcome in Northeast India.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred and seventy mothers and their newborn infants during a one month period were included. The association between maternal hemoglobin (Hb) at delivery and neonatal outcomes were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anemia (Hb < 110 g/L) was present in 421 (89.6%) mothers with 35 (8.3%) having severe anemia(Hb < 70 g/L). After adjusting for maternal and neonatal variables, each 10 g/L decrease in maternal Hb was associated with 0.18 week decrease in gestational length (p = 0.003) and 21 g decrease in birth weight (p = 0.093). Severe maternal anemia was associated with 0.63 week (95% CI, 0.03-1.23week) shorter gestation, 481 g (95% CI, 305-658 g) lower birth weight and 89% increased risk of small-for-gestation (OR 1.89, 95% CI, 1.25-2.86)in the offspring, compared with those born to mothers without anemia (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal anemia was highly prevalentin this population. Lower gestational age and birth weight, and increased risk of small-for-gestation were associated with maternal anemia, especially when maternal Hb was <80 g/L. Maternal anemia needs urgent attention to improve neonatal outcome in this population.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Assam Medical College , Dibrugarh, Assam , India .
authors.forename: Reeta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bora
authors.forename: Corey
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sable
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wolfson
authors.forename: Kanta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Boro
authors.forename: Raghavendra
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Low birth weight; maternal anemia; prematurity