Anemia and Associated Factors Among Women Delivered by Cesearean Section at Public Hospitals in West Hararghe Zone, Eastern Ethiopia, 2024: A Cross-Sectional Study Study

Background: Anemia in the postpartum period remains a considerable public health problem in developing countries. It is the most common indirect cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. While prenatal anemia is extensively studied, the literature on post-caesarean section anemia is limited. Almost no study was conducted in west Hararge zone. Knowing the magnitude of post-cesarean cesarean section anemia can contribute to the scientific evidence regarding the prevalence of post-cesarean cesarean section anemia and used for policy brief. Therefore, The study aimed to assess anemia and associated factors among mothers delivered by cesarean section in public hospitals of West Hararge zone; 2024 Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among among 311 postpartum having cesarean section women admitted to six hospitals of West Hararge zone in Eastern Ethiopia. Simple random sampling technique was used to select the respondents. Data was collected using a pre-tested, structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Both primary and secondary data were used. The collected data was entered into Epi-Data version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 26. Results: This study revealed that the magnitude of post cesarean section anemia was 24.8%, 95% confidence interval (21.37-28.24)). factors such as hypertension history (AOR=1.90; 95% CI (1.004, 3.607)), postpartum hemorrhage (AOR=4.04; 95% CI (1.638, 9.974)), and No Adherence to IFA supplementation (AOR=3.08; 95% CI (1.224, 7.770)) were identified as the determinants of post cesarean section anemia. Conclusion: The current study showed high magnitude of anemia when compared with previous studies. So, action should be taken by all concerned stakes to minimize the burden of the anemia in the post cesarean section. Significant predictors of post c/s anemia includes: perineal tear, hypertension history, and postpartum hemorrhage. A more careful strategy is ideal to decrease the burden of hypertension during pregnancy, early anticipation and timely management of high index of suspicion in mothers diagnosed with postpartum hemorrhage, are recommended to tackle the burden of post cesarean section anemia.