Prevalence and Predictors of Anaemia among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care at Selected Hospitals in Mogadishu, Somalia

Abstract

Aims: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and predictors of anaemia in pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at selected hospitals in Mogadishu, Somalia. Specifically, the study aimed to determine the prevalence of anaemia and identify sociodemographic predictor variables among pregnant women attending antenatal care at selected hospitals in Mogadishu, Somalia. Study Design: The study adopted a cross-sectional analytical research design. Place and Duration of Study: The study area was Mogadishu, Somalia, and encompassed various hospitals within the city since it has the highest cases of anemia. The selected hospitals were Banaadir Hospital, Martine Hospital, and SOS Hospital because they are dedicated to mothers and children and have daily antenatal care clinics, between 1st January 2025 and 31st January 2025. Methodology: The research employed stratified random sampling to select the participants and utilized questionnaires to collect data from primary respondents. The study involved a total of 384 pregnant women attending antenatal care at selected Hospitals at the time of the research and limited to those who consented. Results: The result findings revealed that the overall prevalence of anaemia among pregnant women in the study population was found to be 42.7% (n=164), while 57.3% (n=220) of the participants were not anaemic. The sociodemographic factors were not statistically significant in predicting anaemia status. Several key predictors of anemia were identified, including socioeconomic status, age, parity, nutritional practices, educational level, and access to antenatal care services. Conclusion: The study concludes that to effectively combat anemia among pregnant women in Mogadishu and across Somalia, policy makers should prioritize socioeconomic support, and stablish a robust maternal health surveillance system that tracks anemia prevalence and identifies high-risk groups across the country.