The prevalence and severity of late postnatal anaemia amongst women at the Buea and Limbe Regional Hospitals in Cameroon.

Abstract

Introduction: late postnatal anaemia is not routinely investigated in lower-middle and low-income countries. Hence, it remains undiagnosed and untreated. There are quality of life, morbidity, and mortality implications of anaemia in this period. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence, severity, and factors predisposing to late postnatal anaemia amongst women in the Buea Regional Hospital (BRH) and the Limbe Regional Hospital (LRH), Cameroon.

Methods: a cross-sectional study amongst 355 women between the 6^th to 27^th week postpartum was conducted. Data collection using a structured questionnaire and capillary hemoglobin (Hb) was measured with the Sejoy® Hemoglobinometer. Late postnatal anaemia was defined by a Hb < 12g/dl between the 6^th to 27^th week postpartum. The prevalence of anaemia was calculated as the proportion of women with a haemoglobin level less than 12g/dl in the LPNP concerning the total population of women studied. The severity of anaemia was categorized into mild, moderate, and severe. The relationship between late postnatal anaemia (LPNA) and predictor variables was analyzed by the binary logistic regression method for odds ratios and p-values. Data analysis using SPSS version 23 with statistical significance set at a p-value < 0.05 at a 95% confidence interval.

Results: there were 109 women out of the 355 participants with anemia, giving a prevalence of 30.7%. A majority of whom had mild and moderate anemia, that is 61 (56%) and 46 (43.1%) respectively, with only 1 (0.9%) participant with severe anemia. Level of education (p= 0.030), trimester of commencing antenatal care consultations (p=0.001), prenatal anemia (p=0.003), the baby??s birth weight (p= 0.047), and mucocutaneous pallor (p<0.001) were significantly and independently associated with late postnatal anemia.

Conclusion: late postnatal anaemia is relatively common in this study setting, demonstrating a prevalence of 3 in 10 women affected. However, most cases are with mild to moderate anaemia. Determinants found were a low level of education, late commencement of antenatal care, prenatal anaemia, and mothers with low-birth-weight babies, plus mucocutaneous palor.