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Level Of Awareness On The Prevention Of Anaemia Among Pregnant Women
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Pregnant women are on the whole vulnerable to malaria in endemic
populations and often have higher prevalence as well as severity
including anaemia (Amenger-Glover, Owusu&Akanmori, 2005). The
changes in the immune system linkedwith pregnancy have been postulated
as the reason mentioned above. Worm infestations however impair
micronutrient absorption;consequently increasing the susceptibility of
pregnant women to anaemia. The materialization of HIV is an additional
risk factor for anaemia among pregnant women. A good number of studies
aimed at identifying the causes ofanaemia in pregnancy have concentrated
on specific categories of factors such as excessive blood loss and
excessive breakdown of erythrocytes (Amenger-Glover, Owusu&Akanmori,
2005).Globally, anemia contributes to 20% of all maternal deaths.
Although not always shown to have a causal link, severe anemia
contributes to maternal morbidity and mortality. Anemia in pregnancy may
moreover lead to premature births, low birth weight, fetal impairment
and infant deaths. Besides, maternity-related complications, anemia has
major consequences on human health and social and economic development.
It adversely affects physical and cognitive development in children and
is associated with increased frailty risk in community-dwelling older
adults (WHO, 2008).
In recent times, increased risk of psychiatric
disorders among children and adolescents with iron deficiency anemia has
also been documented. Anaemiaarrays from mild, moderate to severe and
WHOhangers the haemoglobin level for each of these types of anaemia in
pregnancy at 10.0 – 10.9g/d1 (mild anaemia) 7 – 9.9g/dl (moderate
anemia) and < 7g/dl (severe anaemia).Commonness of anaemia can be as
high as 61% in developing countries; 14 with a high incidence and
severity occurring among primigravidaeliving in malaria endemic areas.
In pregnancy, anaemia has animportant impact on the health of the foetus
as well as that of the mother. Twenty percent (20%) of maternal deaths
in Africa have been attributed to anaemiaand over half of all women in
the world experience anemia during their pregnancies.Foetuses are
susceptible of preterm deliveries, low birth weights, morbidity and
perinatal mortality due to the impairment of oxygen delivery to placenta
and foetus(Amenger-Glover et al, 2005).
In Sub-Saharan Africa, the
causes of anemia during pregnancy are multifactorial. These consist of
an iron and folate deficient diet and infections such as malaria,
hookworms, and increasingly human immunodeficiency virus. Most of these
conditions can be prevented by creating awareness and providing
affordable interventions.Determination of the magnitude of anemia among
pregnant women helps to monitor health of the pregnant women,
contributing to reduction in maternal morbidity and mortality. Also,
assessment of factors predisposing to anemia in a local area enables to
take targeted intervention activities. The management and control of
anaemia in pregnancy is improved by the availability of local prevalence
statistics, which is conversely not adequately provided in Nigeria. For
that reason, this study aims at providing occurrence statistics of
anaemia in pregnancy and to evaluate the effectiveness of antenatal care
and awareness level in preventing anaemia among pregnant women in
IbesikpoAsutan. Knowledge of the relative importance of the diverse
etiological factors forms the basis for intervention strategies to
control anemia. Therefore, this study also aimed at determining anemia
and assessing associated risk factors among pregnant women attending
antenatal care (ANC) at Primary Health Center NungUdoe.
1.2 Theoretical framework
In
effect social cognitive models propose that determinants that shape
human behavior are imparted through socialization and may be disposed,
vulnerable and susceptible to change. While appraising the literature,
two theories were found to offer a strong theoretical framework for this
research namely: the social cognitive theory (SCT) and the Health
Belief Model (HBM).
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