METHODIST HEALTH TRAINING INSTITUTE

AFOSU - CAMPUS

A STUDY INTO THE DETERMINANTS OF NUTRITIONAL ANAEMIA AMONG

PREGNANT WOMEN IN EJISU MUNICIPALITY

JULY, 2022
 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Anaemia is defined as the fall of haemoglobin concentration below what is normal for a person’s

age, gender (below 12g/dl in males and 11g/dl in females) resulting in the reduced capacity of

blood carrying oxygen to the tissues (World Health Organization; 2022).

Anemia is one of the most prevalence of public health concern in the most of the developing

countries and affects large number of pregnant women in developing countries and has serious

consequences on national development of which the situation in Ghana cannot be overlooked. It

is estimated that 1000 women in Ghana die every year in pregnancy and child birth due to

anemia related complications (GHS, 2012 Annual Report).

During pregnancy, the demand for iron and other vitamins increases in order to have enough red

blood cells for the developing fetus, the body starts producing more red blood cells and plasma,

this leads to the blood volume increase to approximately 50%. The plasma content increases

greatly causing dilution of the blood, making the hemoglobin concentration to fall. This is

usually referred as a natural cause of anaemia and experienced during the period of the 25 th and

30th week of pregnancy. Stevens GA, Finucane MM, Rosas JP & Bhutta ZA (2013) noted that,

factors such as lack of iron in diet, lack of folic acid, lack of vitamin B12 and loss of blood due

to bleeding (Malaria, hookworm infection, hemorrhoids or stomach ulcers) contributes to

anaemia.

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1.2 Problem Statement
Despite all efforts of the Government of Ghana to prevent anaemia through the Ministry of
Health and the Ghana Health Service by providing education on nutrition, early detection,
management of anemia and promotion of the use of ITN, by giving pregnant women ITN free of
charge, anemia in pregnancy is still a major health problem and contributes to 16.0% to 50.0% of
maternal death in the country. GHS, (2021) The Prevalence of anemia at booking was
significantly higher in those who registered for antenatal care in the third trimester than in those
who registered in the second trimester. .

From the statistics at the ANC department of the Ejisu municipal Maternity center for the year
2014– 2020, it consistently showed that the HB of women who reported at the ANC is around
11g/dl at registration regardless of the trimester they are in and when checked at 36 weeks the
HB is between 6 – 7g/dl showing severe anaemia.

This raises concern as to whether the strategies employed by the health staff and other related
bodies to reduce anaemia is effective or not and also if pregnant women have adequate
knowledge on the effects of anaemia in pregnancy.

It is against this background that this research is being conducted to determine the cause of
nutritional anaemia among pregnant women attending FANC in Ejisu Municipal.

1.3 Objectives of the study

1.3.1 Main Objectives

To determine the factors that contributes to nutritional anaemia among pregnant women

attending FANC in Ejisu Municipality.

1.3.2 Specific Objectives

1. To assess the knowledge on nutritional anaemia among pregnant women attending FANC

in Ejisu Municipality.

2. To identify the food source and type of food nutrients consumed by pregnant women in

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 Ejisu Municipality.

3. To rule out the complication of nutritional anaemia.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the knowledge of pregnant women on anaemia in pregnancy?

2. What are the sources of food and type of food nutrients consumed by pregnant women in

Ejisu Municipality?

3. What are the complications of anaemia among pregnant women?

1.5 Significance of the Study

The finding of this research would assist the MoH, the District Assembly, NGO’s and other
interested parties to plan effectively and set appropriate interventions strategies to ensure a
reduced incidence of anemia in pregnant women. It could also be a nice intervention during
health education programs especially those aimed at the prevention of anemia in all ages and
most especially pregnant women. The study population would also benefit from the education
they will receive along the study which will have effects on their lifestyle in order to staying
healthy throughout the pregnancy. The research would also serve as reference materials for
further studies.

1.6 Organization of the study

The study is organized in five main chapters as follows; chapter one deals with the background

of the study. Chapter two delves into the review of literature, the third chapter talks about the

methods employed to conduct the study, the fourth chapter is centered on the discussion of the

findings in relation to what others have done. The fifth and last chapter encompasses the

conclusion, suggestions and recommendations made from the study.

1.7 Delimitation of the study

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Within the context of this research work, the focus is on determining the factors that contribute s

to nutritional anaemia among pregnant women attending FANC in Ejisu Municipality. The

study examined the knowledge on nutritional anemia among pregnant women, identified the

food source and type of food nutrients consumed by pregnant women and to rule out

complications of nutritional anaemia. This delimitation of the study was done to manage the data

collection considering the time and the resource of the researcher.

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

Determinants: a factor which decisively affects the outcome of something.

Nutrition: the process of providing or obtaining the food necessary for health and growth.

Anaemia: a condition in which there is not enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate

oxygen to the body’s tissues.

Nutritional anaemia: this is a condition in which the haemoglobin content of the blood is lower

than normal as a result of a deficiency of one or more essential nutrients, regardless of the cause

of such deficiency.

Woman: an adult female human being.

Pregnancy: this is the term used to describe the period in which a fetus develops inside a

woman’s womb or uterus.

Pregnant woman: is an adult female human being who has a baby or babies developing in her

body.

Maternal death: this refers to the annual number of female deaths from any cause related to or

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aggravated by pregnancy or its management during pregnancy and childbirth or within 42 days

of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy.

Antenatal care: antenatal care is the care provided by skilled healthcare professionals to women

throughout their pregnancy.