Nguyen Thi My Loan1*, Nguyen Thanh Ha2
1 Preventive Medicine Center of Can Tho City
2 Hanoi University of Public Health
Objective: Thoi Lai is a rural district of Can Tho City, therefore, communication activities for the prevention of anemia in pregnant women in the district are still limited. This study was conducted to describe the status of anemia among pregnant women and some associated factors (age, occupation, education, gestational age, number of pregnancies, took iron tablets) in 4 communes of Thoi Lai district, Can Tho city from March to June 2017.
Methodsology: The study was designed by descriptive, analytical, cross- sectional method. The sample consisted of 213 pregnant women in 4 communes of Thoi Lai district, Can Tho city. Data is collected by testing blood obtained from pregnant women and interviewing them with structured questionnaire.
Results: Research findings were as follows: (1) the percentage of anemia in pregnant women in Thoi Lai district is 20.2%; (2) Among anemic pregnant women, there are 83.7% of them to have mild anemia, other 16.3% have moderate anemia; (3) Statistical results show that the percentage of anemia in pregnant women who took iron tablets incorrectly was statistically significantly higher than that of pregnant women who took iron tablets correctly (OR = 3,0, (95% CI = 1.5 – 6.0), p < 0.05).
Conclusion: These results demonstrate the need of propaganda about consequences and measures to prevent anemia among pregnant women in the district to reduce the rate of anemia.
Key words: anemia, pregnant women
*Corresponding author: Nguyen Thi My Loan
Work place: Preventive Medicine Center of Can Tho City
Email: mph19dtntml@studenthuph.edu.vn - loan011285@gmail.com