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The burden of anaemia and associated factors in HIV positive Nigerian women

  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Anaemia is the most common complication of pregnancy and a predictor of poor maternal and foetal outcomes. HIV infection is now recognized as one of the major contributors to anaemia in pregnancy. It is therefore important to determine the burden and risk factors of anaemia in maternal HIV infection in others to plan effective prevention strategies as well as optimize management outcomes.

Objective

To determine the prevalence and risk factors of anaemia in pregnant HIV positive Nigerians.

Methods

The prevalence and possible risk factors of anaemia were investigated in HIV positive pregnant Nigerian women at a large HIV treatment clinic in southwestern Nigeria using a cross-sectional design between January 2006 and December 2011.

Results

Nine hundred and eighty-five (42.5 %) women of 2,318 HIV positive pregnant women seen during the period were anaemic by WHO standard defined by haemoglobin <11 g/dl. Majority were of mild to moderate severity (97.9 %). Short inter birth interval (p = 0.002), presence of opportunistic infections (OIs), (p = 0.001), use of zidovudine containing regimen (p = 0.0005) and CD4 cell count <200 cells/mm3 (p = 0.001) were found to be independently associated with anaemia in HIV positive pregnant women after controlling for confounding variables.

Conclusion

Anaemia was found to be high at 42.5 % among the HIV positive women studied and was found to be independently associated with short inter birth interval, presence of OIs, advanced HIV disease and use of zidovudine containing HAART regimen.

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Conflict of interest

None.

Ethical standards

Approval for the study was obtained from the Institutional Review Board, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos Nigeria. Written informed consents were obtained from all women, for the use of their data for study, however women who declined consent to participate in study were provided care but excluded from research. The clinic patients are organized into an independent support group of people living with HIV (Positive Life Organization of Nigeria) that ensures that patients are not stigmatized and discriminated against. This group ensures that no patient is denied requisite care because of failure or reluctance to participate in any of our studies including this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Sciences Division, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 488, Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria

    O. C. Ezechi, O. O. Kalejaiye, C. V. Gab-Okafor, D. A. Oladele, B. Oke, S. O. Ekama, N. N. Odunukwe & I. A. O. Ujah

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  1. O. C. Ezechi
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  2. O. O. Kalejaiye
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  3. C. V. Gab-Okafor
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  4. D. A. Oladele
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  5. B. Oke
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  6. S. O. Ekama
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  7. N. N. Odunukwe
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  8. I. A. O. Ujah
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to O. C. Ezechi.

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Ezechi, O.C., Kalejaiye, O.O., Gab-Okafor, C.V. et al. The burden of anaemia and associated factors in HIV positive Nigerian women. Arch Gynecol Obstet 287, 239–244 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-012-2573-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-012-2573-2

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