ANAEMIA PREVENTION AND CONTROL IN PREGNANCY

ANAEMIA PREVENTION AND CONTROL IN PREGNANCY ANAEMIA PREVENTION AND CONTROL IN PREGNANCY AIM • To inform participants about the problem of anaemia in pregnancy, its common causes, and prevention and control strategies and to review skills for case management. OBJECTIVES: At the end of the session, participants will be able to: • Describe the problem of anaemia in pregnancy and list its effects on the OBJECTIVES: • Describe strategies for preventing anaemia in pregnancy • Counsel a pregnant woman about prevention of anaemia in pregnancy. • Correctly manage and/or refer cases of anaemia in pregnancy. • Explain why pregnant women with HIV or sickle-cell disease face additional risks and complications from anaemia in pregnancy. 3 • Anemia is a condition in which the number of red blood cells or their oxygen-carrying capacity is insufficient to meet the physiological needs of the individual, which consequently will vary by age, sex, altitude, smoking and pregnancy status (WHO 2013). • In its severe form, it is associated with fatigue, weakness, dizziness and drowsiness, pregnant women and children being particularly vulnerable (WHO 2013). • Anaemia in pregnancy is defined as a haemoglobin (Hb) concentration of less than 11 g/dl (James et al 2011).