Prevalencia de anemia ferropénica en mujeres embarazadas atendidas en el Hospital Liborio Panchana Sotomayor durante el periodo enero 2022 a enero 2024.

Abstract

Introduction: Iron deficiency anemia is one of the most common hematological and nutritional disorders in pregnancy and represents a significant public health problem worldwide. This condition occurs when maternal iron intake and reserves cannot meet the increasing requirements as pregnancy progresses, compromising erythropoiesis and oxygen-carrying capacity. Methodology: This study has an observational, retrospective, descriptive, and cross-sectional design. Results: The prevalence of iron deficiency anemia was 27.2%, with the highest frequency observed in pregnant women younger than 20 years (48.3%), followed by women aged 35 years or older (29%), and the 20-34 age group (21.7%). According to the gestational trimester, the frequency was 22% in the first trimester, 28.6% in the second trimester, and 28.9% in the third trimester. Regarding the severity, mild anemia was the most prevalent at 65.3%, followed by moderate anemia at 30.6%, and severe anemia at 4.1%. Additionally, anemia was more common in pregnant women with fewer than 5 prenatal visits (38.6%), as well as in those who did not receive iron supplementation (44.9%), in women with 5 or more pregnancies (38.5%), and also in those with multiple pregnancies (50%). Conclusions: We found that iron deficiency anemia was prevalent in the studied population, particularly among adolescents, during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, and in those with fewer prenatal checkups and inadequate iron supplementation. These results highlight the need to strengthen early screening, ensure adequate iron supplementation, and provide timely prenatal care to reduce the burden of this disease in the population.