In Mumbai, nearly half of the pregnant women who register with civic-run medical set-ups for antenatal care (ANC) suffer from mild-to-moderate anaemia. Data obtained from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) shows that in 2019-2020, an average of 17,061 women sought preventive and therapeutic ANC treatment every month. Of these, nearly 8,681 had haemoglobin levels below 11g/dl, which is classified as ‘mild to moderate’ anaemia.
Anaemia in pregnant women is a significant cause of maternal and infant mortality as well as morbidity. Anaemia refers to a decrease in the number of red blood cells, which leads to insufficient oxygen supply to the body. Iron deficiency is the most common cause of anaemia.
“Women who come for ANC are immediately put on supplements. While those detected with mild-to-moderate anaemia get oral supplements, the ones with severe anaemia are given injectable irons,” said Dr. Chandrashekhar Chiplunkar, the BMC’s assistant health officer. When the haemoglobin levels are below 7g/dl, it is classified as severe anaemia.
Dr. Chiplunkar said the interventions continue up to 180 days post delivery. “We see anaemia mostly due to nutritional deficiencies,” he said. The data may have some duplication as some women seek treatment at multiple centres, Dr. Chiplunkar said.
A 2018 study published in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care had concluded that anaemia in pregnancy is a major public health concern the world over and takes a heavy toll on the well-being of the mother and child. “Even after decades of implementing anaemia control programmes, there is limited improvement in prevalence and severity of anaemia in pregnant women,” the study stated. It highlighted the importance of education of both the husband and wife in reducing the prevalence of anaemia. Experts also say interventions have to start during adolescence, so that the risks of anaemia are avoided during pregnancy and childbirth.
Gynaecologist Dr. Duru Shah said when the mother is anaemic, the growth of the baby is not optimal. “Besides the risk of low-birth-weight babies, when anaemic women go into labour, the blood loss during delivery may not be tolerated well by them and they may require transfusions or develop other complications,” said Dr. Shah. Iron deficiency should be plugged at an early age by good diet and supplements, he said.
The government plans to tackle the problem at an early age by providing iron and folic acid supplements to children, adolescents and women of reproductive age and pregnant women irrespective of anaemia, under the Anaemia Mukt Bharat initiative. However, experts say more awareness about anaemia is needed so that people willingly take the supplements.
