Prevalance and factors associated anemia among women attending the postnatal clinic within 8 weeks at kawempe national refarral hospital

Abstract

A significant public health issue in developing nations, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, is postpartum anemia. In Uganda, there is not much information accessible about anemia in postpartum women that will be helpful to medical professionals to be aware of the burden and risk factors of anemia to improve the women's health after childbirth.The objective of our study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with postpartum anemia among women attending postnatal clinic within 8 weeks during the study period in Kawempe National Referral Hospital. Materials and methods A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 314.mothers attending the postnatal clinic at Kawempe National Referral Hospital. Women within 8 weeks following delivery were systematically sampled and recruited after informed consent. Data on demographic was collected using researcher administered questionnaire and a blood sample was taken to determine hemoglobin level by using venipuncture sampling. Data was entered into Epi-data software version 4.2 and exported to Stata version 14.0 for cleaning and analysis. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the association between independent variables and postpartum anemia. Results The mean age was 26 years (SD=5). A total of 109/314 mothers had anemia, therefore the prevalence of anemia was 34.7% (29.6 - 40.2). Mothers who were in 3-6weeks of puerperium were more than four times more likely to have anemia than those in 7-8weeks puerperium. PR 4.48 (1.82 - 11.02). Women who delivered by caesarean section had 49% higher likelihood of having anemia than those who delivered vaginally. PR 1.49 (1.06 - 2.11). Mothers with History of heavy bleeding following last delivery had 59% higher chances of having anemia compared to mothers who did not bleed, PR: 1.59 (1.21 - 2.09). Women who experienced a pelvic abscess after birth were 1.43 times more likely to have anemia compared to those who did not. PR 1.43 (1.06 - 1.94) Conclusion The prevalence of postpartum anemia among women who are within 8 week’s post-partum was 34.7%. Mothers who were in 3-6weeks of postpartum were more than four times more likely to have anemia than those in 7-8weeks postpartum. Mothers who delivered by caesarean section had 49% higher likelihood of having anemia than those who delivered vaginally.