Maternal Anaemia and Neonatal Outcome: A Prospective Study on Urban Pregnant Women

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Maternal anaemia is a major contributor of adverse neonatal outcomes, particularly compromised birth weight and head circumference. OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between maternal anaemia and neonatal measures in a sample of low-middle income group urban mothers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred pregnant women with population representative prevalence of anaemia were enrolled. Socio-demographic, anthropometry, obstetric profile (parity, abortion history, food habits, gap period with last pregnancy etc), and systolic/diastolic blood pressure were documented. Neonatal outcomes (gestational age and type of delivery), and birth anthropometry (weight, length, and head circumference) were measured at delivery. Univariate and multivariate regression analysis for associating maternal haemoglobin levels and neonatal outcomes were performed. RESULTS: The anaemic and non-anaemic pregnant women differed significantly in interval between previous & index pregnancy (p=0.031), parity (p=0.009), systolic blood pressure (p=0.026), diastolic blood pressure (p=0.042), maternal Hb (p<0.01). The mean gestational age (p<0.01), weight (p<0.01), length (p<0.01) and head circumference (p<0.01) of the neonates differed significantly between the two groups. On using maternal haemoglobin as a continuous variable, these anthropometric birth outcomes were positively correlated with maternal haemoglobin (p<0.05). Further, univariate linear regression showed similar associations between maternal haemoglobin (g/dL) and birth weight (p=0.004), length (p=0.010) and head circumference (p=0.003). CONCLUSION: Maternal haemoglobin has a positive relationship with the neonatal measures of weight, length and head circumference.