Records from health facilities in Tema Metropolis for the first six months of the year reveal a concerning statistic: over 49 percent of pregnant women were found to be suffering from anemia by their 36th week of pregnancy.
Among these, 4.05 percent were classified as having severe anemia. Additionally, 37.55 percent of women were identified as anemic at their initial antenatal visit.
Samuel Atuahene Antwi, the Tema Metropolitan Nutritionist in an interview said, “Anaemia at 36 weeks of pregnancy increased by 84 per cent in 2024, as compared to 2023.”
Mr Antwi revealed that Tema Manhean recorded the highest increase of 31.3 percent in anaemia at 36 weeks from 23.16 to 72.4 per cent respectively for the 2023 and 2024 first halves.
He said 1,804 pregnant women received nutrition counselling and “only 30 percent of ANC attendants had their BMI checked to monitor their nutritional status.”
He stated that the high number of anaemic expectant mothers could be attributed to their intake of inadequate iron-rich foods, for which household food insecurity due to economic hardship could also be the cause.
However, a few of them who might have certain nutritious foods available did not take it because of some traditional and spiritual beliefs concerning those foods, he said.
Mr Antwi urged pregnant women to take adequate iron-rich foods such as red meat, liver, shrimp, fish, eggs, milk, and dark green leafy vegetables.
These should be consumed alongside oranges, pineapples, and other vitamin C-rich fruits to help absorb the iron.
Almost 50% of pregnant women in Tema have been diagnosed with anaemia.