Anaemia is defined as reduction in circulating haemoglobin mass below the critical level. The normal haemoglobin (Hb) concentration in the body is between 12-14 grams percent. WHO has accepted up to 11gm percent as the normal haemoglobin level in pregnancy. Therefore any haemoglobin level below 11gm in pregnancy should be considered as anaemia. However in India and most of the other developing countries the lower limit is often accepted as 10 gms percent.
Anaemia is often classified as mild degree (9-11 gm %) , moderate (7-9 gms %), severe (4-7 gm %) and very severe (<4gm %). It is also classified according to Haematocrit (PCV) %.
Anaemia in pregnancy is present in very high percentage of pregnant women in India. Exact data is not available about the prevalence of nutritional anaemia. However according to WHO, the prevalence of Anaemia in pregnancy in south East Asia is around 56%. In India incidence of anaemia pregnancy has been noted as high as 40-80%.
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Anaemia in pregnancy
