Anemia And Associated Risk Factors Among Pregnant Women: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Anemia in pregnancy is a serious condition that has the potential to contribute to morbidity and mortality in both mother and baby. It is very important to explore the risk factors that cause anemia in pregnancy, so that effective prevention strategies can be taken as soon as possible.To systematically examine the results of studies regarding the factors of anemia in pregnancy. The method PRISMA guidelines were followed. Three databases were used in the search for articles, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Wiley Online Library which were searched from 10 May to 13 June 2023. The selected articles were limited to articles published in the last 5 years (2019-2023). A total of 45 articles were retained for full-text assessment, eligibility criteria for study inclusion/exclusion were applied and 23 articles were excluded leaving 18 cross-sectional studies and 4 case controls for review. The Results Based on the 22 reviewed articles, 16 factors were found to be associated with anemia in pregnancy. Low dietary diversity score (DDS ≤ 3), consumption of coffee/ tea immediately after meals, multiparity, live in a rural area, birth interval < 2 years, intestinal parasite infection, low consumption of vegetables and fruit (≤ 3 times/ week), frequency of meals < 3 times/ day, low income, MUAC < 23 cm, advanced gestational age, age 15-25 years, insufficient or irregular iron supplements, malaria, history of abortion and inadequate intake of iron-rich foods. The conclusion Of the several factors found in this review, most of them are preventable and controllable factors. Health care providers, health workers and pregnant women must understand these factors, so they can better prevent and detect anemia in pregnancy.