Pregnant women with anaemia are substantially more likely to suffer life-threatening bleeding after childbirth, according to new findings from the WOMAN-2 Trial.
Researchers analysed data from over 10,500 women giving birth in Pakistan, Nigeria, Tanzania and Zambia, and found that a reduction in haemoglobin of 10 grams per litre of blood just before birth increased the risk of life threatening bleeding after childbirth by 23%.
The findings highlight the urgent need for changes in policy and practice to prioritise the treatment and prevention of anaemia in women of childbearing age.
The study was published in The Lancet Global Health.