Prevalence of anemia and its associated factors among pregnant women in Georgia

Abstract

The WHO currently considers maternal anemia global public health concern, and one of the most common complications during pregnancy. Symptoms range from weakness and fatigue, to serious cardiac complications. Maternal anemia also poses a risk to the infant, as it can increase the likelihood of preterm birth and low birth weight babies, among additional concerns. Past research is primarily focused on low and middle-income countries. Georgia is an upper-middle income country located at the intersection of Europe and Asia, and a country that has experienced rapid social and economic growth in the last two decades. Presently, there is no national study regarding the prevalence of maternal anemia in Georgia. The objective of this thesis is to establish the prevalence of maternal anemia in Georgia, and to determine the associated factors of its presence. This cross-sectional study consisted of women who delivered in Georgia in 2019, using data from the Georgian Birth Registry. This included all women who had serum hemoglobin measured at least once during their pregnancy, with a final population of n=35,677. Anemia was categorized according to WHO guidelines into mild, moderate, and severe, and compared with several associated factors using descriptive statistics. The relationship between the associated factors and the presence of maternal anemia was analyzed using logistic regression. This study identified a 42% prevalence of maternal anemia in Georgia. Among anemic mothers, 61% were mildly anemic, 36% moderately anemic, and 3% severely anemic. Significant associated factors of anemia presence included 1 previous birth (OR 1.19 [1.14-1.26]), and 2 or more previous births (1.23 [1.16-1.31]), as well as underweight BMI (OR 1.12 [1.03-1.21]). Higher education (OR 0.85 [0.81-0.89]) and maternal age greater than 25 (OR 0.9 [0.85-0.94]) or maternal age greater than 35 (OR 0.89 [0.82-0.96]) were associated with lower presence of anemia. This study identified that maternal anemia is a serious maternal health concern in Georgia. Several associated factors of maternal anemia presence were identified. The findings of this study may be beneficial for policy workers and healthcare providers interested in preventing and treating maternal anemia within Georgia.