Anemia among pregnant women in the northwest of Libya

Abstract

Anemia is a significant public health problem worldwide, especially in developing countries, leading to mortality and morbidity in women and children. Anemia may cause low birth weight and premature birth, and increase the risk of maternal mortality due to bleeding and other delivery complications. However, iron deficiency is the most cause of anemia. Therefore, our primary objective is to estimate the prevalence of anemia in the northwest part of Libya. A hundred pregnant women participated in this study. Hemoglobin (Hb) level, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and iron concentration were measured. In addition to that, a questionnaire was completed to collect information such as age, education, medication, and whether the participants drink tea or coffee after a meal. The level of anemia was very high; it was found that 72% of pregnant women. Out of this, 66.6%, 30.5%, and 2.9% were mild, moderate, and severe anemia, respectively.