The Prevalence of Anemia in First, Second and Third Trimester of Pregnancy in Iran: a systematic review and Meta-analysis

Introduction: Anemia is a common health problem during pregnancy worldwide. The studies performed in Iran have reported different prevalence of anemia in various gestational age, and there is no overall estimate of it. This study was performed with aim to evaluate the prevalence of anemia in Iranian pregnant women by systematic review and Meta-analysis method. Methods: This systematic review study was performed based on information databases of Magiran, Iran medex, SID, Medlib, IranDoc, Scopus, Pubmed, Science Direct, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, Springer, Online Library Wiley and also search engine of Google Scholar using standard key words from 1991 to 2015. All reviewed papers which had inclusion criteria were evaluated. Random effect model by meta-analysis method was used to combine the studies' results. Data was analyzed using Stata software (Version 11.1). PResults: In systematic review, 12 studies with sample volume of 7087 pregnant woman were entered to the meta-analysis. The prevalence of anemia in first, second, and third trimester of pregnancy was estimated 19.6 (CI: 95, 8.4-30.9), 10.1 (CI: 95, 3.7-16.4) and 16.1 (CI: 95, 10.2-22), respectively. Conclusion: The prevalence of anemia in first trimester of pregnancy is more than second and third trimester. This shows that pregnant women require more care including proper nutrition and supplements of iron and folic acid during first trimester of pregnancy. © 2015. Journal Management System.