The Effect Of Maternal Anemia On Cord Blood Hemoglobin Levels

Abstract

Background: Anemia in mothers is a serious issue. Babies born to anemic mothers are likely to have anemic parents. Neonatal anemia can be diagnosed using cord blood hemoglobin. Aim and Objective: The aim of the study was to find any correlation between maternal anemia and neonatal cord blood hemoglobin (Hb) levels. Material and Methods:This study is a cross-sectional type of study done at the Department of Pediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at Adesh Medical College and Hospital, Mohri, Shahbad, Haryana, over 9 months from January 2022 to September  2022. Observation and Result: Out of 400 mothers, 192 had hemoglobin less than 11 g/dl, and 208 had hemoglobin more than 11 g/dl. Among the anemic mothers, 94 had mild anemia (hemoglobin between 10 and 10.9 g/dl). 82 mothers had moderate anemia (hemoglobin between 7-9.9 g/dl). 16 mothers had severe anemia with hemoglobin less than 7 g/dl. We observed that about 48% of the mothers were anemic and 52% were non-anemic. Among the anemic mothers, 48.9% had mild anemia, 42.8% had moderate anemia, and 8.3% had severe anemia. Conclusion: Maternal anemia affects the cord hemoglobin of neonates. Our study infers that anemic mothers deliver babies with lower hemoglobin compared to non-anemic mothers.