This follow up study is aiming to highlight the problem of iron deficiency anaemia among pregnant women. The study also aimed at piloting the impact of iron supplementation on prevention and control of anaemia and its consequences among women during pregnancy. This will help in guiding the control of anemia. Two Primary Health care centers in Giza Governorate (Zenin,health center and Madinat El Ommal, MCH center) were chosen to select subjects for this study. The study was able to cover 334 pregnant women. All cases were pregnant in the second trimester; attending the selected health facilities for antenatal care during the period of February to August, 2000. Cases who gave consent to share in this work, were subjected to an interview questionnaire, about socio-demographic, obstetric and medical history. Study cases were subjected to laboratory investigation to determine their hemoglobin level.
The magnitude of anaemia among the studied pregnant women constitutes about one third; (33.8%) of the whole study cases; assessed prior to iron supplementation during the first ante-natal care visit to the health facility. Iron supplementation leads to marked drop of the percentage of anaemia from 33.8 % to 13.3 % (pre- iron supplementation & 4th follow up antenatal care visits, respectively). Such drop was steady and continuous throughout iron supplementation intervention program. Side effect of iron supplementation was observed only in 8.1% of all studied pregnant cases. The most common side effect was change color of stool represented by (7.8%).
This work recommended an integrated approach to prevent anaemia during pregnancy through; nutritional education and implementation of iron supplementation intervention program for pregnant women as an integral part of antenatal care activities of MCH on national level.
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