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Institutional Capacity and Practices for Maternal Anemia in China.
Lijun Liu1, Jiangli Di2, Xiaona Huang3
1Immunization Planning Department, Shunyi District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
Maternal & Child Nutrition
|February 6, 2025
Summary
Maternal anemia prevention services in China show gaps in iron supplement availability and consistent provider adherence to guidelines. Targeted interventions are needed to improve screening and iron prescription for pregnant and lactating women.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Maternal Health
- Nutritional Anemia
Background:
- China has implemented measures for maternal anemia prevention and treatment.
- Limited data exists on health professional adoption, facility capacity, and patient compliance.
- Understanding these aspects is crucial for refining maternal anemia control strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the alignment of maternal anemia prevention and control services in China.
- To generate evidence for policy and program revisions to reduce maternal anemia.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey conducted from November 2019 to January 2020.
- Involved 11 counties across 6 provinces, 42 health institutions, 201 health providers, and 1714 pregnant and lactating women (PLW).
- Data collected via questionnaires on service provision, screening, and adherence.
Main Results:
- Iron supplements (30/60mg) available in only one-third of facilities; Hb testing universal, but ferritin testing varied by facility level.
- Obstetricians prescribed iron for diagnosed anemia/iron deficiency (ID) in ~90% of cases, but only 41.3% advised preventive iron.
- Significant disparities observed in ferritin testing and preventive iron advice based on facility level, with lower rates in township facilities.
Conclusions:
- Barriers and bottlenecks hinder effective implementation of maternal anemia interventions in China.
- Discrepancies in service delivery across different health facility levels require attention.
- Comprehensive actions are necessary to meet national and international targets for reducing maternal anemia.
