Prevalence and foetomaternal effects of iron deficiency anaemia among pregnant women in Lagos, Nigeria

Anaemia in pregnancy is a major health problem and an important cause of adverse foetomaternal outcomes in developing countries. Iron deficiency is the cause of the overwhelming majority of the cases of anaemia in pregnancy. Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) has been linked with adverse foetal and maternal outcomes. This study investigated the prevalence of IDA and evaluated its effects on foetomaternal outcomes among parturients in Lagos, Nigeria. This was a cross-sectional study that enrolled 220 women aged 15-49 years with singleton gestation at term, between May 1, 2016, and March 31, 2017. Participants were selected by systematic sampling and baseline data were collected through interviews. Venous blood samples were obtained to measure haemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations, and the associations between IDA (defined as anaemia and iron deficiency) and pregnancy outcomes were examined. A P-value