Abstract:
Anemia is a problem in which the level of hemoglobin
decreases or the number of red blood cells reduces. There are many
factors that are involved in causing anemia in women like nutritional
deficiency, gastrointestinal bleeding (diarrhea). Multiple pregnancies
or pregnancies having less than two years’ time period between them
also result in causing anemia or reducing iron stores in blood. The
current research was planned to find out the prevalence of anemia in
pregnant women of District Lahore and to know how it is related to
iron-rich food and the socioeconomic status of chosen patients. Method
of data collection for the socioeconomic factors on the prevalence
of anemia was done by taking interviews as well as questionnaire
filled by pregnant women while for other analysis blood samples
of 70 pregnant women of age group (25-40) years were collected
and stored in EDTA tubes from four different hospitals of District
Lahore, during different trimesters of pregnancy. The collected blood
samples were taken and stored in already filled with EDTA tubes.
All samples were then analyzed by using a CBC hematology auto analyzer. It is concluded from the current study that anemia was
highly prevalent in District Lahore. It also indicated that the age of
selected PW showed a significant effect on the severity of anemia because
of nutritional deficiency with an increase in age. Income plays a
central role in anemic women. Mostly anemic women were belonging
to the middle class which affected the nutritional status of PW and they
didn’t take iron and other nutrients-containing diets. The trimester of
pregnancy had an impact on anemia because due to the growth of the fetus body
needs Iron folate, vitamins, and other nutrients. The majority of anemic
women were in their 2nd trimester because they did not get a proper
diet. No pregnancies were also significant factors in PW. It can
be due to the reason that with short birth spacing and an increase no in
pregnancies and abortions the Hb and serum ferritin level decreases
and leads to anemia. This study helped to estimate the prevalence
and causes of anemia in expecting females.
