A study on effect of maternal anaemia on anthropometric profile and haemoglobin of newborns

Background & Objectives: Anaemia is one of the major health problems among antenatal mothers. Most of the anaemias seen in pregnancy are largely preventable and easily treatable if detected on time. According to WHO, Haemoglobin level below 11gm/dl at any time during pregnancy is considered as anaemia. If the mothers are anaemic, the foetuses are at a risk of preterm deliveries, low birth weight, morbidity and perinatal mortality due to impairment of oxygen delivery to placenta and foetus. Methods: Data was collected from inborn neonates born to Anaemic and Non-anaemic mothers, selected by purposive sampling technique, within 48 hours of birth. Collected data was analysed using software SPSS v16. Results: Among 1016 neonates studied,it was found that 23.6% of newborns born to mother’s with hemoglobin < 11gm% had weight in the range 1300-1500 grams as compared to 0.19% in the control group (haemoglobin>11gm%). Length of the babies born to anaemic mothers (<11gm%) was found to be lower than the babies born to non-anaemic mothers, 68.50% as compared to 49.4 % in controls .Head circumference of babies born to anaemic mothers (<11gm%) was found to be in the lower range,45.86% as compared to 9.25% in controls. Babies born to mother’s with haemoglobin<11 gm%had cord hemoglobin in the range 14-15 gm/dl , 58.2 % as compared to 36.8 % in controls. Interpretation & Conclusion: Comparison of all anthropometric parameters born to neonates of Mothers with Anaemia and no anaemia was statistically significant. It was also found that the cord blood haemoglobin done in neonates born to anaemic mothers was lesser than in neonates born to non-anaemic mothers.