THE PREVALENCE AND DETERMINANTS OF ANAEMIA AMONG HIV POSITIVE PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING ANTE-NATAL CLINIC AT THE JOS UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, JOS

Abstract

BACKGROUND: HIV /AIDS have been described as a risk factor for anaemia in pregnancy. Anemia is associated with a faster rate of disease progression and poor survival in patients with HIV. Anaemia has also been linked with early post natal death in infants of HIV Positive pregnant women. It is therefore pertinent to document the prevalence and

determinants of anemia in HIV positive pregnant women.

STUDY DESIGN, SETTING AND SUBJECT

A cross sectional study was carried out among HIV positive pregnant women as the study group and HIV negative pregnant women as controlled group at the antenatal clinic of the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), Jos
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The prevalence of anaemia in the experimental group was determined. The possible determinants of anemia were ascertained and the relationship between variables determined using methods of linear regression and chi square test.
RESULTS

A total of 230 pregnant women were recruited for the study (115 HIV positive versus 115 HIV negative). The overall prevalence of anemia was 27.6%. The prevalence among HIV positive pregnant women was 33.7%, compare to a prevalence of 21.7% among HIV negative pregnant women.

This difference was however not statistically significant. An inverse relationship was established between haemoglobin status and viral load.CONCLUSION.

The prevalence of anemia is high among HIV positive pregnant women. There is an inverse relationship between viral load and heamoglobin status. The use of highly active anti-retroviral therapy for the management of these patients can be regarded as good practice.

THE PREVALENCE AND DETERMINANTS OF ANAEMIA AMONG HIV POSITIVE PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING ANTE-NATAL CLINIC AT THE JOS UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, JO