Prevalence and Hematological Profile of Anemia Among Third-Trimester Pregnant Women: A Retrospective Study From Al Adan Hospital, Kuwait.
- 1Hematology Unit Al Adan Hospital Al Ahmadi Kuwait.
- 2Al Adan Hospital Al Ahmadi Kuwait.
Abstract
Background
Anemia during pregnancy remains a significant global health problem, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where nutritional deficiencies are prevalent. Despite established antenatal screening programs, data on the prevalence and hematological characteristics of anemia among pregnant women in Kuwait are limited.Objective
To determine the prevalence, severity, and hematological profile of anemia among third-trimester pregnant women attending Al Adan Hospital, Kuwait.Methods
This retrospective observational study analyzed medical records of 5129 third-trimester pregnant women who received antenatal care between January 2022 and December 2023. Demographic and hematological data-including hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and ferritin-were collected. Anemia was classified using the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, and iron deficiency anemia was defined by ferritin < 30 ng/mL. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Pearson's correlation analysis.Results
The overall prevalence of anemia (Hb < 11 g/dL) was 37.4% (95% CI: 36.0%-38.7%), comprising 20.7% mild, 16.3% moderate, and 0.4% severe cases. Morphologically, 25.5% were microcytic, 74.3% normocytic, and 0.3% macrocytic. Ferritin levels (available in 467 women) revealed 48.8% with severe deficiency (< 15 ng/mL). The prevalence of anemia decreased with age (40.4% in 18-30 yrs vs. 25.6% in > 40 yrs; p < 0.001). A moderate positive correlation was observed between MCV and ferritin levels (ρ = +0.42, p < 0.001), indicating iron deficiency as the predominant etiology.Conclusion
Anemia affected over one-third of third-trimester pregnant women at Al Adan Hospital, with iron deficiency as the leading cause. Routine ferritin assessment and targeted iron supplementation are warranted to improve maternal hematologic health and perinatal outcomes in the region.
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BibTeX
@article{alwazzan2026prevalence,
title = {{Prevalence and Hematological Profile of Anemia Among Third-Trimester Pregnant Women: A Retrospective Study From Al Adan Hospital, Kuwait.}},
author = {Hanan Alwazzan and Sunny Joseph Varghese and Fady Ashraf Francis Youssef and Abeer Alzaydai},
journal = {Anemia},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1155/anem/5726449},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42904122},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Prevalence and Hematological Profile of Anemia Among Third-Trimester Pregnant Women: A Retrospective Study From Al Adan Hospital, Kuwait.
AU - Hanan Alwazzan
AU - Sunny Joseph Varghese
AU - Fady Ashraf Francis Youssef
AU - Abeer Alzaydai
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/20
JO - Anemia
DO - 10.1155/anem/5726449
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42904122
AB - Background Anemia during pregnancy remains a significant global health problem, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where nutritional deficiencies are prevalent. Despite established antenatal screening programs, data on the prevalence and hematological characteristics of anemia among pregnant women in Kuwait are limited.Objective To determine the prevalence, severity, and hematological profile of anemia among third-trimester pregnant women attending Al Adan Hospital, Kuwait.Methods This retrospective observational study analyzed medical records of 5129 third-trimester pregnant women who received antenatal care between January 2022 and December 2023. Demographic and hematological data-including hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and ferritin-were collected. Anemia was classified using the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, and iron deficiency anemia was defined by ferritin < 30 ng/mL. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Pearson's correlation analysis.Results The overall prevalence of anemia (Hb < 11 g/dL) was 37.4% (95% CI: 36.0%-38.7%), comprising 20.7% mild, 16.3% moderate, and 0.4% severe cases. Morphologically, 25.5% were microcytic, 74.3% normocytic, and 0.3% macrocytic. Ferritin levels (available in 467 women) revealed 48.8% with severe deficiency (< 15 ng/mL). The prevalence of anemia decreased with age (40.4% in 18-30 yrs vs. 25.6% in > 40 yrs; p < 0.001). A moderate positive correlation was observed between MCV and ferritin levels (ρ = +0.42, p < 0.001), indicating iron deficiency as the predominant etiology.Conclusion Anemia affected over one-third of third-trimester pregnant women at Al Adan Hospital, with iron deficiency as the leading cause. Routine ferritin assessment and targeted iron supplementation are warranted to improve maternal hematologic health and perinatal outcomes in the region.
SN - 2090-1267
SN - 2090-1275
ER -