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Pos t p a r t um Anaemia:
Anaemia in pregnancy, defi ned by the Wor ld Health
Or g a nisa t i o n (WHO) as haemoglobin l e v e l s below 11.0 gm per
decilitre at sea l evel, 1s a frequent comp l ication of
pregnancy world-wide [ 145, 146 ) . In the developing c ountries
where a high prevalence of nutriti on a l anaemia i n pre gnancy i s
repcceee , it r ema ins t he i s s ue of major canc e r n during
antenatal c ar e [146-140 9 ) .
Postpartum anaemia on the ot her hand has received f a r
l es s attention a nd unlike pregnancy anae mia i s not currently
defined by a spec ific haemoglobin level . I n identifying the
c ondition, t he r e f o r e , a diffi CUlty a r ises as t o which
haemogl obin level t o use , t hat for p reg na nt sUbjects (11. 0
gm/dl) or for non -pregnant voaen ( 12 .0 gm/dl) .
The occurrence of postpartum anaemia is dependent on pre­
p regnancy , pregna nc y and l a bour events . It can be influenced
i ndir ect l y by prevent ive obstetric strategies whi ch aim at
c ontro l ling anaemia in pregnancy . Howe ver, e xc e s s i v e blood
l oss which o cc urs particularl y at t he t ime o f l a bour , can
qu ickly nUl l i f y all the gains of su ccessful an tenatal c a r e ,
and lead to anaemia in the puerperium. For the already
c ompromi s ed patiei:t, wi th po or antenata l p reparati on , only
sma l l blood losses are ne e ded t o tilt the ba lance from mild or
moderate to s e ve r e anaemia. This is a c ommon situation for
many developing 'World women (146 ] .
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