Maternal Anemia in Abadan, Southwestern Iran: Prevalence, Underlying Factors and Food Pattern Dilemmas

Background and Objectives: Maternal anemia is associated to premature birth and fetal disorders. The aim of this study was to estimate prevalence of maternal anemia and identify its underlying causes in pregnant women. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-analytical cross-sectional survey, 301 Iranian pregnant women aged 15–42 y of 5–40 gestational weeks referred to comprehensive health centers in Abadan, Iran, were selected. First, anthropometric indices were measured. Then, obstetric, sociodemographic characteristics and disease history were collected using self-designed questionnaires. Laboratory data documented in the electronic health records were used to assess maternal anemia. Dietary intake was assessed using 168-item qualitative food frequency questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, independent T-test, Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used to analyse data using IBM SPSS statistics software. Results: Rate of the maternal anemia was 20.3%; of which, 75, 23.4 and 1.6% were mild, moderate and severe anemia, respectively. History of anemia before pregnancy enhanced the risk of maternal anemia (OR=6.048, 95% CI: 2.00–18.27, p=0.001). Moreover, 6–10 times weekly iron supplementation during pregnancy protected women from anemia, compared to 1–5 times weekly iron supplementation (OR=2.799, 95% CI: 1.438–5.450, p=0.002). Anemic women had less frequent intakes of bell peppers, dates and pomegranates than non-anemic women. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of obstetric and nutritional factors as well as positive roles of healthy dietary patterns and appropriate uses of iron supplements in controlling anemia.