Risk factors of anemia among women in the child bearing period and preschool children in Alexandria.

: This study was carried out to determine the risk of some social and biological maternal factors which may contribute to occurrence of anemia among mothers and preschool children. A community based comparative study was chosen for the conduction of this work. The target population were 400 women in the child bearing period, having at least one preschool child (440). Capillary blood samples were taken by finger prick method and hemoglobin level was estimated by Sahly method. According to the cut off level of hemoglobin, women were classified into anemic and non anemic. In addition to that, 440 preschool children belonging to these women were classified according to the cut off level of their hemoglobin into 165 anemic children and 275 non anemic ones. An interview questionnaire was used to collect the data. Analysis of results showed that age of mother (30 years and above), illiteracy, high parity, history of previous abortion, history of previous perinatal mortality, small inter-birth interval and non use of contraceptives are significant risk factors for mothers. However, mother occupation and state of pregnancy has no role in occurrence of anemia among mothers. In addition to that, high parity, history of previous abortion, history of perinatal mortality, short inter-birth interval, non use of contraceptives and pregnancy are maternal risk factors responsible for anemia among preschool children. While, mother age, education and occupation has no role for occurrence of anemia among preschool children.