Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development
  • Year: 2017
  • Volume: 8
  • Issue: 1

A Comparative Study on the Prevalence and Severity of Anemia among Urban and Rural Pregnant Mothers in Davangere City, India

1Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, India

2Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Basaveshwara Medical College & Hospital, Chitradurga

Online published on 4 January, 2017.

Abstract

Anemia is a global public health problem. Combating anemia during pregnancy has far reaching benefits in terms of safe motherhood and healthier future generations.

1) To compare the prevalence and severity of anemia among urban and rural pregnant mothers, beyond 12 weeks of amenorrhea.

An urban, rural based, cross-sectional, comparative study was conducted among 400 urban (210) and rural (190) pregnant mothers aged above 18 years and beyond 12 weeks of amenorrhea in the field practice areas. Hemoglobin was estimated by strip method using "Color Scale test kit

1 year

Microsoft Excel, SPSS version 18

‘Z’ test for proportion, Chi-square, Odd's ratio

The prevalence of anemia was 74% and 59% in rural and urban mothers respectively. The severity was more among rural mothers and both the prevalence and severity were significant

Prevalence and severity of anemia was more in rural mothers. It is recommended to improve the quality of antenatal care in the field practice areas.

Keywords

anemia, urban, rural, severity, pregnant mothers