Prem Kumar

Background: Anemia during pregnancy remains a major public health challenge in India, contributing significantly to adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Despite national initiatives, the burden of anemia among pregnant women continues to be high, particularly in urban and semi-urban settings. Objectives: To assess dietary habits, anemia awareness, and educational status, and to examine their association with anemia among pregnant women in urban areas. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted between April 2025 and August 2025 among 904 pregnant women attending antenatal care services in urban areas. Hemoglobin levels were used to classify anemia into mild, moderate, and severe categories. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, gestational profile, dietary practices, anemia awareness, educational status, and antenatal care utilization were collected using a structured questionnaire. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analysis were employed to determine associations and predictors of anemia. Results: Overall, 59.6% of pregnant women were found to be anemic, with moderate anemia being the most prevalent (34.5%), followed by mild (22.9%) and severe anemia (2.2%). Anemia was significantly associated with low socioeconomic status, lower educational attainment, higher gravidity and parity, short birth intervals, delayed initiation of antenatal care, and poor dietary practices. Logistic regression analysis revealed that inadequate dietary intake significantly increased the odds of anemia, while awareness regarding balanced diet and anemia showed a protective effect. Conclusion: The study demonstrates a high burden of anemia among pregnant women in Meerut City, strongly influenced by dietary inadequacy, low awareness, and socio-educational disadvantage. Strengthening nutrition education, promoting dietary diversity, ensuring early antenatal registration, and improving the quality of antenatal care services are essential to reduce anemia during pregnancy.

Background: Anaemia during pregnancy remains a major public health challenge in India and is a leading contributor to maternal and neonatal morbidity. Understanding its determinants is essential for designing targeted interventions. Evidence from urban areas such as Meerut City is limited, despite rapid urbanisation and shifting socioeconomic patterns. To assess the prevalence and predictors of anaemia among pregnant women in Meerut City, with specific focus on birth spacing, educational status and awareness related to anaemia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 904 pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Meerut City. Data were collected using a structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire along with haemoglobin estimation based on WHO criteria. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify significant predictors of anaemia. Results: Anaemia prevalence was 59.6%, comprising 22.9% mild, 34.5% moderate and 2.2% severe cases. Short interpregnancy interval (<24 months) showed a strong association with anaemia (p<0.05). Women with lower educational attainment and poor awareness of anaemia were significantly more likely to be anaemic, indicating a prominent role of reproductive, educational and informational factors. Conclusions: Anaemia among pregnant women in Meerut City remains alarmingly high. Short birth spacing, low maternal education and inadequate awareness emerged as key predictors. Strengthening ANC counselling, enhancing women’s health literacy and promoting optimal birth spacing are critical strategies to reduce the burden of anaemia in similar urban populations.

Background: Anemia during pregnancy poses serious health risks for both mothers and infants, particularly in resource-limited environments. This study examines the prevalence of anemia among pregnant women in Meerut City, India, and analyzes its correlation with educational attainment. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2025 to June 2025 across 28 UPHCs in Meerut City among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in urban and semi-urban areas of Meerut City. Hemoglobin levels were measured to assess anemia status. Socio-demographic and educational information was gathered using structured interviews. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, including Chi-square to examine associations. Results: Anemia was found to be highly prevalent among the study participants. A notable negative correlation was observed between educational attainment and anemia severity (p<0.05). Women with higher education levels demonstrated better dietary practices, greater awareness of anemia-related health risks, and higher adherence to iron supplementation. In contrast, women with lower education levels exhibited limited nutritional awareness, reduced use of maternal healthcare services, and limited understanding of anemia prevention and management. Conclusions: The findings underscore the vital role of education in improving maternal health outcomes. Enhancing women's educational status may significantly reduce the burden of anemia and contribute to broader public health and social development goals. The study advocates for integrated policy approaches that link education and health sectors to achieve sustainable improvements in maternal and child health.

Background: Anemia during pregnancy remains a significant public health concern, especially in low- and middle-income countries. It contributes to adverse maternal and fetal outcomes and is influenced by multiple socioeconomic, dietary, and obstetric factors. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anemia and its associated risk factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Meerut City. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 210 pregnant women attending antenatal care services at an Urban Primary Health Center (UPHC) in Meerut City. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, obstetric history, dietary habits, knowledge regarding anemia, and supplementation adherence were collected using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. Hemoglobin levels were measured to classify anemia severity. Bivariate analysis identified factors associated with anemia, and variables with p < 0.10 were included in a multivariable logistic regression model. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Out of the total 210 respondents, the overall prevalence of anemia among pregnant women was 63.8%, with 28.6% having mild anemia, 31.4% moderate anemia, and 3.8% severe anemia. Anemia was significantly more prevalent among women from low-income households (p < 0.001), those with lower educational attainment (p = 0.002), poor dietary intake (p < 0.001), and limited knowledge of anemia and its sources (p = 0.000). A significant proportion (83.3%) of anemic women rarely consumed iron-rich foods such as meat, beans, and green leafy vegetables. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified low household income (AOR = 2.7; 95% CI: 1.4–5.3; p = 0.003) and poor dietary intake (AOR = 3.5; 95% CI: 1.8–6.7; p < 0.001) as independent predictors of anemia after adjusting for age, parity, and gestational age. Conclusion: Anemia remains highly prevalent among pregnant women in this urban setting, primarily driven by low socioeconomic status, poor dietary diversity, and suboptimal nutritional practices. Strengthening antenatal care services with a focus on poverty alleviation, nutritional counseling, early antenatal care initiation, and enhanced iron and folic acid supplementation adherence is critical to reducing anemia burden and improving maternal and neonatal health outcomes.The study highlights a high burden of anemia among pregnant women in Meerut City, with nutritional inadequacy and economic deprivation being the major contributing factors. These findings emphasize the urgent need for integrated antenatal interventions focusing on improving maternal nutrition, dietary counselling, and addressing underlying socioeconomic inequalities. Strengthening existing national programs such as Anemia Mukt Bharat with local-level nutritional surveillance and community-based education can play a pivotal role in reducing the anemia burden among pregnant women in urban India. Keywords: Maternal anemia, Nutritional status, Socioeconomic status, Dietary diversity, Iron intake, Maternal health, Urban population in India, North India