The magnitude and associated factors of immediate postpartum anemia among women who gave birth in east Gojjam zone hospitals, northwest- Ethiopia, 2020

by Getachew Altaseb Agmassie, Genet Degu Alamneh, Moges Wubie Ayicheh, Worku Taye Getahun, Aysheshim Asnake Abneh

Globally around half a million maternal death occurred annually related to labor and delivery of which twenty percent is contributed by post-partum anemia. Postpartum anemia contributes about two percent of total maternal mortality in Ethiopia. Immediate postpartum anemia is a common public health problem in most parts of the globe, being frequent in low and middle-income countries including in the developed world. The previous studies cut off point for immediate postpartum Anemia is 11mg/dl which is the cutoff point of anemia after one week of postpartum, environmental factors like barefoot were not addressed in the previous studies and the previous studies were conducted in a single facility This study aimed to assess the magnitude and associated factors of immediate post-partum anemia among women who gave birth in East Gojjam zone hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia.

Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted from October 20-November 20 2020 on immediate post-partum anemia. During the study 467 study participants were included by using systematic random sampling method Data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire and a blood sample was used for hemoglobin determination. Data were checked, coded, and entered into Epi-Data Version 4.2 and then exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Binary logistic regressions were done to identify predictors of immediate post-partum anemia and a 95% confidence interval of odds ratio at a p-value less than was taken as a significance level.

The overall magnitude of immediate postpartum anemia among mothers who gave birth in East Gojjam Zone Hospitals were found to be 21.63% (95% CI:18.12%, 25.11%), not having antenatal care follow-up (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 2.92;95% CI:1.20,7.06), assisted instrumental delivery (AOR = 2.72; 95% CI:1.08,6.78),mid-upper arm circumferences less than 23cm (AOR = 5.75;95% CI:3.38, 9.79), antepartum hemorrhage (AOR = 4.51; 95% CI:2.42, 8.37), never wearing shoes (AOR = 2.60; 95% CI:1.10, 6.14) were found to be significantly associated with immediate postpartum anemia.

This study indicates that immediate postpartum anemia is a moderate public health problem in the study area. A more careful strategy is ideal to increase antenatal care follow-up that sticks to national guideline contact schedule, safe reduction of instrumental and cesarean deliveries to the minimum, quick and timely linkage and treatment of malnourished pregnant mothers to the center where they get adequate health care services, along with a high index of suspicion in mothers diagnosed with antepartum hemorrhage, wise and vigilant advice on consistent use of the shoe for pregnant mothers are recommended to tackle the burden of immediate post-partum anemia.