Anemia and other hematological profiles of pregnant women attending antenatal care in Debre Berhan Referral Hospital, North Shoa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine level of anemia and other hematological profiles in pregnant women attending antenatal care clinic in Debre Berhan Referral Hospital, Ethiopia. Results: Prevalence of anemia was 2.8% and that of thrombocytopenia was 10.2%. Out of the anemic pregnant mothers, 5 (62.5%) were mildly anemic and 2 (25%) were severely anemic. The factor age < 20 years of mothers was significantly associated with anemia (P < 0.05). In addition, the occurrence of anemia in mothers who visited antenatal clinic two times is two times higher than those mother who visited the antenatal clinic three times. Moreover, the prevalence of anemia is two times more likely to occur in pregnant mothers who did not take iron supplements as compared to their counter parts. According to pregnancy periods; mean white blood cells count was (8.48 ± 3.09, 8.83 ± 2.73, 8.86 ± 2.67) × 109/L for the first, second and third trimesters, respectively. Red blood cells and platelet counts in the first trimester were significantly higher than their corresponding values in third trimester (P < 0.01), whereas mean hemoglobin and hematocrit values were not statistically significant within trimesters (P > 0.05).