Maternal Anemia and Prenatal Complications. J. Educ. Manage. Stud., 4 (4): 167-172

Severe anemia in mothers is associated with low birth weight, premature delivery, and fetal death. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the relationship between the hemoglobin level and hematocrit of mothers and prenatal complications. Subjects consisted of 1100 pregnant that had referred to Bandar Abbas’ Shariati hospital in 2007 that had a single, viable fetus with cephalic presentation without diabetes mellitus, hydramnios, hemorrhage during pregnancy or delivery, apparent congenital fetal anomalies, pre-eclampsia or eclampsia. Blood tests were performed to measure hemoglobin and hematocrit. Information regarding the mother and newborn and its perinatal complication was gathered via a questionnaire. The effects of hemoglobin level and hematocrit on perinatal complications were estimated using descriptive statistical methods and multiple logistic regressions with a 95% confidence interval and a precision of 2%. The prevalence of low birth weight and prematurity in mothers with hemoglobin levels less than 10.5 g/dl was 8% and 8%, respectively which was higher than those of mothers with hemoglobin levels between 10.5-13 g/dl. The risk of the need for intensive care unit admission in subjects with hematocrit above 40% was 2.34 times more than that of subjects with hematocrit between 34 and 40%. Low hemoglobin level in pregnant mothers increases the risk of low birth weight, premature delivery and low Apgar score in the fetus and a high percentage of hematocrit is associated with an increased risk of intensive care unit admission. Therefore this should be taken into consideration in perinatal care.