Complete blood count as a diagnostic aid for anemia in pregnant women at the Jipijapa Social Security Institute

Abstract

Anemia during pregnancy is a prevalent disorder. It involves a decrease in the amount of red blood cells or hemoglobin concentration in the pregnant woman's blood. This can be due to a deficiency of iron, folic acid, or vitamin B12, among other causes. The objective of this research was to evaluate blood counts as a diagnostic aid for anemia in pregnant women at the Jipijapa Social Security Institute. The methodology used was descriptive, experimental, quantitative, cross-sectional, and retrospective, with a sample of 204 pregnant patients. The results showed that 22.5% of pregnant women presented decreased hemoglobin, indicating anemia. This occurred in 27.27% during the first trimester, 21.4% during the second trimester, and 20% in the third trimester. Finally, the chi-square test demonstrated that anemia was associated with hematocrit levels and mean corpuscular hemoglobin, thus accepting the research hypothesis. This led to the conclusion that periodic screening with complete blood count and red blood cell indices is necessary at the beginning of pregnancy, since, although anemia appears to decrease, it remains a constant risk.