Impact of maternal anemia on neonatal outcomes

Background: Maternal anemia can have adverse neonatal outcomes like low birth weight, prematurity, lower APGAR scores, lower cord blood hemoglobin, and neonatal mortality. This study aims to estimate the association of maternal anemia with demographics and the outcomes of newborns. i.e. birthweight, gestational age, APGAR score, and cord blood hemoglobin. Methods: A cross-sectional study on 384 pregnant women and their newborns was done at Hind Institute of Medical Sciences, Sitapur over 18 months. A complete blood count sample of the pregnant women followed by a cord blood hemoglobin sample of the newborn was collected. Neonates' gestational age, birth weight, length, and APGAR score were noted. Data analysis (descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, Pearson’s correlation) was done using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) software. P value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: Working mothers had lower chances of being anemic (p<0.00001) while mothers with vegetarian diets had higher chances of anemia (p<0.00001). A significant association of maternal anemia was found with lower educational status (p=0.003), alcohol abuse (p=0.003), and smoking/tobacco abuse (p=0.021). Babies born to non-anemic mothers had higher birth weights than those born to anemic mothers (p<0.0001) but maternal anemia did not significantly impact the gestational age outcome (p=0.404). A positive correlation was established between maternal and cord blood hemoglobin levels (r=0.230). Conclusions: Monitoring and addressing maternal hemoglobin levels are essential strategies for preventing anemia in the newborn and promoting healthy development in neonatal life.