Associated factors of Anemia among pregnant women attending Banadir hospital in Somalia

The prevalence of anemia in pregnancy is approaching half of all pregnant women, worldwide. Because of the high burden of the disease and its complications that affect both the mother and her fetus, the determinant factors are receiving increased attention. The aim of this study was to analyze the relation of different demographic, social, and economic factors that could be associated with anemia in pregnancy. The study was carried out among 130 pregnant women, who presented with anemia to Banadir Hospital in Somalia. Information about age, residence, education, occupation, medical history, social attributes, and nutritional history were collected using a structured, interviewer-based questionnaire. The statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 20 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) was used for data analysis. Based on hemoglobin concentration, anemia was classified as mild in 35.4%, moderate in 43.8%, and severe in 20.8% of the participants. Factors that showed statistically significant association with anemia included low educational level, residence in rural areas, non-employment, low family income, large family size, twin pregnancy, excessive tea intake, and previous abortions. Although poverty is the underlying cause of most anemia-related factors, nutritional education and promotion of antenatal care could be helpful in the prevention of anemia in pregnancy.