CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION

Anaemia is a deficiency of hemoglobin in the blood due to lack of red blood cells and their hemoglobin content, which produce clinical manifestation arising from hypoxemia such as Lassitude and Breathlessness on Exertion.

Anaemia in pregnancy is the most prevalent and contributes to the incidence of maternal and foeths morbidity. It has been shown to be among the three (3) direct causes of maternal mortality, pre maturity and low birth weight in babies as well as three conditions associated with anaemia in pregnancy. Anaemia it is an important public health problem word wide. WHO estimate that more than half of pregnant women in the world have a hemoglobin level indicate of anaemia (>11.0g/dl), the prevalence however be as high as 56% or 61% in developing countries. Women often become anaemia during pregnancy because the demand for iron and pregnancy other vitamins is increase due to physiological burden of pregnancy. The inability to meet the required level of their substance either as a result of dietary deficiencies or infection give to rise to anaemia.

Anaemia ranges from mild, moderate to severe and the WHO pegs the hemoglobin level for each for each of these types of anaemia in pregnancy at 10.9g/dl (mild anaemia 7 – 9.9g/dl (moderate anaemia) and >7g/dl (severe anaemia) prevalence of anaemia can be as high as 61% in developing countries with the high incidence and severity occurring among primigravida living in malaria endemic area (example:- Nigeria). Studies has shown that, malaria is still a major problem among pregnant women.

A condition of pregnancy characterized by a reduction in the on concentration of hemoglobin in the blood. It may by physiological or pathological. In physiological anaemia of pregnancy, the reductionin concentration results from dilution because the plasma volume expands more than the erythrocyte volume. The leukocyte in pregnancy normally drops several points below its pregnancy level.

In pathological anaemia of pregnancy, the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood is deficient because of disordered erythrocyte through destruction or bleeding.

Pathological anaemia is a common complication of pregnancy occurring approximately half of all pregnancies. Disordered production of erythrocyte may be result from nutritional efficiency of iron, folic acid or vitamin B12, sickle cell or another chromic nutrition exposure to toxin. Destruction of erythrocyte may be result from inflammation, chronic infection, sepsis or a hematologic disease in which Red Blood Cell (RBD) are abnormal. Excessive loss of erythrocyte through bleeding may result from abortion, bleeding intestinal parasite such as hook worm,placental abnormalities such as placenta previa and abruption placenta or post-partum uterine atony.

Anaemia is common in child bearing women and particularly in multipara of the lower income group. Many are anaemia before they become pregnant. It is essential if the condition is diagnosed at the beginning of pregnancy and treated effectively (maternal health care delivery. By Mrs. Olubunmi Awe, 2010).

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Anaemia in pregnancy is a major cause of maternal and foetal mortality in Africa (Olubunmi Awa 2010). It is the most prevalent pregnancy associated diseases condition in Sabon Gari T/Wada Kaduna South Local Government Area.

It has become a serious health problem in the area as it among the direct causes of maternal mortality and as well. Previous estimate of death from the incidence have proved to be useful advocacy tools, though they said, incidence primarily affect the poor, multipara of the lower income families and poor visit to Antenatal Care (ANC). (Olubunmi Awa 2010).

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