Regional Disparities in Maternal Blood Parameters during Pregnancy: A Comparative Analysis across Four Provinces of Pakistan

  • Samina Rehan PNS Shifa Hospital, Karachi
  • Samina Naseem Khattak PNS Shifa Hospital, Karachi
  • Muhammad Irfan Khattak PNS Shifa Hospital, Karachi
  • Shumaila Hadi Mawson Lakes Medical Centre, Mawson Lakes, SA
  • Sadia Rehman Bahria University of Health Sciences, Karachi
  • Zara Sami Bahria University of Health Sciences, Karachi
  • Khubaib Ahmad Bahria University of Health Sciences, Karachi
Keywords: Gestational Anaemia, Pregnancy, Iron Deficiency Anemia, Maternal Health

Abstract

 Objective: A comparative analysis of hemoglobin (HB), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and ferritin levels among pregnant women from all four provinces in Pakistan: Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan.

Methods: It was a Cross-sectional Observational study. The study was conducted at four centers in Karachi, Quetta, Kharian and Mardan Pakistan for 1 year from 1St Feb 2022 to 31st Jan 2023. Maternal blood parameters were measured and compared across different regions of Pakistan to identify potential regional differences due to factors such as ethnicity, socio-economic status, and other factors.

Results: The mean hemoglobin levels were 10.95 g/dL in Balochistan, 11.04 g/dL in KPK, 10.82 g/dL in Punjab, and 10.36 g/dL in Sindh. The mean MCV values was 80.56 FL in Balochistan, 79.70 FL in KPK, 77.94 FL in Punjab, and 80.89 FL in Sindh. The mean serum ferritin levels were 16.00 ng/mL in Balochistan, 23.84 ng/mL in KPK, 33.92 ng/mL in Punjab, and 20.93 ng/mL in Sindh.

Conclusions: Overall, the results showed significant variation in the mean values for the different variables across the four provinces. We also noticed that gestational anemia is very common health issue all over Pakistan. This study provides valuable insights into regional differences in maternal blood parameters during pregnancy in Pakistan and may help in the development of regionally targeted interventions to address maternal anaemia.

Keywords: Gestational Anaemia, Pregnancy, Iron Deficiency Anemia, Maternal Health

 

Published
2024-07-07
Section
Original Articles