Iron Deficiency Anemia and Associated Factors During Pregnancy: A Longitudinal Study of Women Attending Antenatal Care Facility in Nigeria

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this study was to investigate iron deficiency anemia (IDA), its associated factors, and intake of iron/folate supplements among pregnant women in the antenatal care facility of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria.

Methods

The study was longitudinally designed, and 112 pregnant women in the second trimester were recruited and followed up through the third trimester. Sociodemographic characteristics, medical/obstetrical history, consumption pattern, and iron indices were assessed using standard methods.

Results

This study showed that 58.0% of the pregnant women investigated have attained a tertiary level of education, and 50.0% were full-time housewives. Among the pregnant women, 56.4% were iron/folate supplement-compliant, and 83.0% and 67.8% were multigravida and multipara, respectively. The study reported that approximately 24.8% of the pregnant women consumed heme iron food sources at least 1 to 3 times daily, while approximately 64.8% did not have a daily intake of at least 1 nonheme iron–rich food source. Iron deficiency anemia prevalence in the second trimester was 10.7%, increasing to 16.5% in the third trimester (P < .05). Similarly, all-cause anemia increased from 37.5% to 65.9% and iron deficiency from 14.3% to 23.5% (P < .05 for both).

Conclusion

Progression from the second to third trimesters was associated with an increased risk of anemia, iron deficiency, and IDA among pregnant women. Pregnant women taking iron/folate supplements had higher iron indices than the noncompliant pregnant women. Consumption of iron-rich foods among pregnant women was low and had little effect on the iron indices estimated, while supplement intake and birth spacing had a significant negative association with anemia, iron deficiency, and IDA.