ABSTRACT

Background: Anemia remains a significant public health concern globally, especially among pregnant women in developing countries like Cameroon. It is a major contributor to maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Iron deficiency anemia is the most common type and is often preventable with adequate knowledge and proper antenatal care.

Objective: To assess the level of knowledge on the prevention and consequences of anemia in pregnancy among pregnant women attending antenatal care at the Mile 16 Health Center, Buea.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 50 pregnant women attending ANC at the Mile 16 Health Center. Data were collected using structured questionnaires divided into three sections: demographic data, knowledge on prevention, and awareness of consequences of anemia. The results were analyzed using SPSS version 25 and presented in frequencies and percentages.

Results: The findings revealed that although 70% of the participants were aware that anemia could occur in pregnancy and 85% knew iron-rich foods helped prevent it, less than half understood the specific recommended iron intake or the full range of consequences. Only 40% were aware of the risk of maternal death due to anemia, and 30% knew about possible postnatal complications.

Conclusion: The study concluded that most pregnant women attending ANC at the Mile 16 Health Center had moderate knowledge on anemia prevention but poor understanding of its consequences. Furthermore, various socioeconomic and cultural challenges hinder effective anemia prevention.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of study

Anemia is considered an international health problem, playing an important role in increasing morbidity and mortality among pregnant women, especially in developing countries (Kaur, 2015). Anemia is the lack of functioning red blood cells that leads to a decrease in the ability to carry oxygen causing complications during life time (WHO, 2015). Women at the childbearing age are at the greatest risk, with prevalence of anemia estimates 42% in pregnant women aged 15–49 and 30% in non-pregnant women, with Africa and Asia accounting for more than 85% in high risk groups where its causes are multi-factorial (Chowdhury et al., 2015). According to the United States Agency for International Development, anemia affects more than 500 million women in developing countries, where 4 of every 10 pregnant women and 3 of every 10 non pregnant women are anemic. Anemia is considered to be a direct cause of 100,000 maternal deaths (4% of maternal mortality) and an indirect cause of morbidity and death due to exacerbation of conditions in HIV/AIDS and hemorrhagic situation. Anemia caused by lack of iron is the most common micronutrient deficiency in the world (WHO, 2015). According to the World Health Organization, iron deficiency anemia is determined as hemoglobin values less than 11 g/ld of blood.

In Cameroon, since 2011, there has been a rise in maternal mortality, with 782 deaths/100,000 live births occurring in 2011. Recently in 2019, daily maternal mortality cases in Cameroon stood at 12-13 cases (Wirsiy, 2019). This is an indication that Cameroon can be considered among sub-Saharan African countries with the highest prevalence of maternal mortality. According to the USAID report in Cameroon, anemia is one of the causes of maternal mortality in Cameroon.  39.5% of women of reproductive age in Cameroon were anemic in 2011. Out of these, 30.2% and 8.7% were mild and moderately anemic, while 0.6% were severely anemic (Wirsiy, 2019). While in 2019, the prevalence of anemia amongst pregnant women in Cameroon was reported at 44% according to the World Bank collection of development.

According to WHO (2015), iron deficiency is the most common nutritional problem in the world that affects about 25% of the world population, especially women in the childbearing age. As pregnant woman needs to have more red blood cells to carry oxygen around her body and her baby’s, it is more common in pregnancy (Krafft et al., 2022).

Iron deficiency anemia is a disorder characterized by significant decrease of iron storing in the body as a result of extrinsic and intrinsic factors. This type of anemia is hypochromic and microcytic. High risk groups to iron deficiency anemia are pregnant and lactating women, elderly adults, patients with a lot amount of blood loss, individuals with nutritionally poor diets, infants, women of childbearing age and low socioeconomic status (Rezk et al., 2015).

In Cameroon, anemia has had a major impact on the health of the women and their fetus. It also affects cognitive and motor development (Alswailem et al., 2018). Moreover, it may be associated with low birth weight of the fetus, premature labor, intrauterine growth retardation, and increased risk of maternal and prenatal mortality (WHO, 2015). For reducing anemia, there should be a combination of iron and vitamin supplementation with food fortification (Chacko et al., 2016).

To eradicate anemia in pregnant women in Cameroon, certain steps can be taken at individual and community level like education of the women as regards anemia, its causes and health implication, instructing nutritional education, with special stress on locally available food stuff to increase the dietary intake of proteins and iron, providing suitable iron supplements and maximum compliance, deworming, treatment of chronic and parasitic disease like malaria and providing antenatal care to pregnant women will help in eradicating this serious problem (Prakash and Yadav, 2015; Abbaspour et al., 2015).

1.2 Problem Statement

The proportion of maternal mortality is globally on the rise, particular in African countries. Cameroon can be considered amongst sub-Saharan African countries with the highest prevalence of maternal mortality. In 2019, maternal mortality cases in Cameroon stood at 12-13 cases daily (Wirsiy, 2019). According to the USAID recent report in Cameroon, anemia is one of the causes of maternal mortality in Cameroon. 39.5% of pregnant women in Cameroon were anemic in 2011. Out of these, 30.2% and 8.7% were mild and moderately anemic, while 0.6% were severely anemic (Wirsiy, 2019). And 44% of the pregnant women were anemic in 2019. With this disease affecting up to 39.5% of pregnant women in Cameroon, it is fundamental to track down anemia awareness on the prevention and its consequences else we should expect greater numbers in the future.

The absence of adequate plans for managing this disease particularly in Africa and Cameroon even makes the situation worse due poor prevention and management. Low level of knowledge on anemia on the part of the pregnant women is a major concern as well. The question that continuous to linger is how anemia can be controlled. A tool used might be development of the knowledge of pregnant women with regards to the prevention and consequences of anemia. This might go a long way in solving the problem.

1.3 Rationale

This study was carried out based on its relevance to the context and literature of anemia. The rationale for the study have been explained below

With anemia being one of the most contributing factors to maternal deaths and infecting over 39.5% of pregnant women in Cameroon, it is fundamentally important to study the knowledge gap of the pregnant women with regards to the prevention and consequences of anemia. This is in order to reduce the prevalence through awareness, of the already spreading disease.

Also, there exist limited studies on the ascertainment of knowledge of pregnant women with regards to the prevention and consequences of anemia, particularly in the Cameroonian context. It is questionable if the results from other countries can be adopted in Cameroon, due to the differences in feeding habit, temperature, climate, and so on. This study will therefore bridge this gap to expand the literature with regards to the Cameroonian context.

The increasing rate of anemia in pregnant women in Cameroon always calls out for studies related to the area anemia. Results and recommendations obtained and given respectively can be used to create awareness to patients and non-patients on the deadly effects of anemia as well as the probable control measures of the disease.

1.3.1 Justification of Study

Despite the effort of national and international organisations to solve the problem of the consequences of anemia in pregnancy it is still a major concern today a many women and fetus turn to die from the illness.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the level of knowledge of pregnant women on the prevention of anemia at the Mile 16 Health Center?
2. What are the consequences of anemia in pregnancy at the Mile 16 Health Center?
3. What are the challenges faced by pregnant women in the prevention of anemia in pregnancy at the Mile 16 Health Center?

1.5 Research Objectives

1.5.1 General Objective

To assess the strategies used in the prevention of anemia in pregnancy amongst pregnant women attending ANC at the Mile 16 Health Center Buea.

1.5.2 Specific Objectives

1. To assess the level of knowledge of pregnant women on the prevention of anemia at the Mile 16 Health Center.
2. To assess the consequences of anemia in pregnancy at the Mile 16 Health Center.
3. To identify the challenges faced by pregnant women in the prevention of anemia in pregnancy at the Mile 16 Health Center.