PREVALENCE OF ANAMIA AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING ANTENATAL CARE IN HEALTH FACILITIES, SANGA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KADUNA STATE.

Abstract

This study is on prevalence of anemia among pregnant women attending antenatal care in health facilities at Gwantu-Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State. It adopted survey research designed as well as experimental design. The population population for the study were 300 diagnosed anemic pregnant women that attended antenatal care services in health facilities in Gwantu-Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State. This was done for a period of 3 months. The population served as the sample size of for the study. Two instruments were used for the study. The first instrument was the checklist sucht for information on the prevalence of anemia among pregnant women (signs and symptoms), health problems associated with anemia among pregnant women, ranges of packed cells volume among the anemic pregnant women, and the risks factors associated with pregnant women having anemia. The second instrument used was the hematocrit centrifuge machine. The first one was given to 3 experts in health whose correction helped in producing what was used for the study in collecting data. The instrument was try-tested using 20 patients with similar characteristics that were not part of the main study. Cronbach's alpha method was used in analyzing results of the pre-test which gave an index of 0.81 which was considered high for the study. The result showed that the prevalence of anemia among pregnant women to include; dizziness (92.3%), fatigue (89.7%), shortness of breath (82.7%), fast heart rate (Palpitation) (65.3%), low oxygen in the body (63.3%), loss of appetite (67.3%), headaches (50%) and pale skin (34.7%); and the  health problems associated with anemia among pregnant women included extreme fatigue (89.3%), low birth weight (20.7%), heart problems (18%), spontaneous abortion (17%), prenatal mortality (15.7%) and fatal death (14.7%). The ranges of packed cells volume (PCV) among the anemic pregnant women included PCV from 30-32.9% (53%), PCV from 21-29.9% (33%), and PCV less than 21% (13.7%). The risks factors associated with pregnant women having anemia included; distance to the health facility stops them from attending ANC (65.7%), low socioeconomic status (poor living) (62.7%), nutritional deficiency (47.3%), second trimester gestational stage (46.7%), Multiparity (frequent pregnancy) (45.7%), third trimester gestational stage (34.7%), non-utilization of Antenatal Care services (iron supplement) (28.7%) and ingestion of alcohol (3.7%). Based on some of the findings, it was recommended among others that there should be continuous awareness creation and health education on the importance of utilization of Ante natal Care services, education and economic empowerment of women and PCV/Hb value of 39% or 13g/dl and above in the second trimester should be cause for concern.