Frequency of Anemia in the First Trimester of Pregnancy and Comparison of Physiological Symptoms of Pregnancy Among Anemic and Non- Anemic Patients in a Primary Health Care Center: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

Background & Objective: Anemia in pregnancy accounts for one-fifth of maternal deaths worldwide and is

associated with high maternal morbidity, mortality, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Pregnancy is

associated with a variety of physiological symptoms, which can be distressing and need to be managed.

Hence in this study, we aim to determine the frequency of anemia and compare the physiological symptoms

in the first trimester of pregnancy among anemic and non-anemic patients.

Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted on women attending a rural health center in

Pakistan for their first antenatal visit from January to November 2021. A formal interview of 801 eligible

participants was conducted by the investigator to determine pregnancy-related symptoms and demographic

data. Hemoglobin, and urine analysis reports were obtained from the hospital's laboratory. Data were

analyzed using SPSS.

Results: The mean age of participants was 27.2 ± 4.6 years and mean Hb levels were 9.82 ±0.66 g/dl. The

overall frequency of anemia was 96.5%. Majority were mildly anemic (71.5%), 5.9% were moderately

anemic, and 0.3% were severely anemic. It was seen that anemic females experienced more symptoms in the

first trimester compared to non-anemic females i.e. 492 (63.6%) vs 12(42.8%) respectively. Nausea and

vomiting were the most common symptoms reported in 190 (23.7%) females. Heartburn was reported in 117

(14.6%), urinary tract infection (UTI) in 97 (12.1%), constipation in 39 (4.9%), backache in 33 (4.1%) and 28

(3.5%) women reported pelvic pain in the first trimester.

Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of anemia among pregnant women along with higher frequency of

symptoms in the first trimester which calls for awareness and education in the community. The most common

symptoms found in our population were nausea and vomiting, followed by heartburn and urinary tract infection.