Survey of the Relationship between hemoglobin concentration in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy with length and weight of Child at birth, 6 months, 12 months and 18 months of age in a 22-year period (1994-2016) in Health Centers of East Azerbaijan Province

Abstract

Introduction: Assessing length, weight and head circumference under the title of anthropometric indicators is one of the most common and simple methods of assessing the growth and health of children in a community. Normal measurements of anthropometric indices in children can indicate maternal health and intrauterine conditions, as well as an important predictor of children's physical and mental health in the coming years of life. According to some studies, hemoglobin is one of the determining factors in the development of children at birth and in the next years of their lives, but in some other studies, no significant relationship was found between pregnancy hemoglobin concentration and anthropometric indices in children. To investigate further in this field and to evaluate the relationship between pregnancy hemoglobin concentration and length and weight at birth, especially 6, 12 and 18 months the present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between hemoglobin concentration in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy with length and weight at birth, 6 months, 12 months and 18 months of age in a 22-year period (1373-1396) in health centers of East Azerbaijan province. Method and Materials: The present study is a descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study that was performed using the information and documents available in the health centers of East Azerbaijan province of the care provided to pregnant mothers and their children over a period of 22 years (1373-1396). Out of about 2,000 pregnancies, 200 are reviewed each year, with the final records of 4,573 eligible mothers being included in the study. Data were collected using checklists based on the contents of the mother and child care form in the file. Data analysis was performed using correlation tests, GEE, general linear modeling and GEE after adjusting for confounding variables. Results: According to the results of the analysis, in the GEE analysis, the concentration of hemoglobin in the first trimester of pregnancy with changes in weight of the child from 6 to 18 months (relationship value: -60.62, significance level: 0.034) and third trimester of pregnancy and changes in hemoglobin concentration with changes in length from 6 to 18 months (respectively; Relationship value: 0.02 Significance level: 0.006 Relationship value: 0.03 Significance level: 0.006) were shown to be significant. However, as a result of correlation analysis between hemoglobin concentration in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy and length and weight of the child at birth, 6, 12 and 18 months, no significant relationship was observed. No significant relationship was observed in general linear modeling and GEE after adjusting for confounder variables. Conclusion: In the present study, based on GEE analysis, a significant relationship was observed between pregnancy hemoglobin concentration and changes in length and weight of the child. But according to other analyses, there was no significant relationship between pregnancy hemoglobin concentration and height and weight at birth, 6, 12 and 18 months. Further studies in this area are necessary to further clarify the present issue. Keywords: Hemoglobin Concentration, Pregnancy, weight at birth, Length at birth