Prevalence, characterization, and risk factors of gestational anemia in Quindío, Colombia, 2018-2023

Objectives: To describe the prevalence and characterize gestational anemia in women attending prenatal care in the department of Quindío, Colombia, and to identify associated risk factors.

Material and methods: An analytical crosssectional study was conducted. Out of 1,003 pregnant women, 307 were selected. The study included pregnant women aged 18 years or older who attended a prenatal care program at three high-complexity private institutions in Armenia (Quindío, Colombia) from 2018 to 2023, providing a five-year observation window. Pregnant women with a diagnosis of fetal malformations and hemolytic disease, those who changed healthcare centers, or moved out of Quindío were excluded.

Results: The mean age of the participants was 28.14 ± 5.27 years. The prevalence of gestational anemia was identified as 26.38 %, with an average hemoglobin level of 9.82 ± 1.74 g/dL. Of these, 12.37 % had hemoglobin levels of 10.1-10.9 g/dL (mild anemia), 8.46 % had levels of 7.1-10.0 g/dL (moderate anemia), and 5.53 % had levels below 7.0 g/dL (severe anemia). In the third trimester, the prevalence of anemia increased to 41.97 % (n = 34/81), with 91.35 % (n = 74/81) of cases being iron-deficiency anemia. A BMI of < 18.5 (OR: 15.46; 95 % CI: 7.13-28.59), multiple pregnancy (OR: 9.73; 95 % CI: 1.49-26.83), and a history of pregestational anemia (OR: 7.43; 95 % CI: 4.52-9.13) were associated with gestational anemia.

Conclusions: The prevalence of gestational anemia is over 25 % and increases in the third trimester. It is important to identify risk factors during preconception evaluation and prenatal care.