Copper Sulphate Densitometry as a Screening Method for Anaemia in Pregnancy

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of anemia in pregnant women reaches 65% in South Asia and 63% in Africa. The prevalence in Ethiopia in pregnant women ranges b/n 23.0% 66.5% The need of having a simple screening method for anaemia is higher in a country like Ethiopia where the problem is serious, particularly in many of the rural areas. The objective of the study was to evaluate the accuracy, simplicity, and suitability in field use and cost effectiveness of the copper sulphate screening method for anaemia in pregnancy against the standard anmethemoglobin method.

Methods: Based on this fact a cross sectional study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of copper sulphate screening method for anaemia in pregnancy against the standard cyanmethemoglobin method. In addition to this, the prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy was determined among 168 first-time attendants of antenatal care clinic, using the hemoglobin results obtained from the standard method, at Jimma Health Center, Jimma, Ethiopia from September 30 to December 23, 1998.

Results: The two strengths of copper sulphate method (SP.G.1.044.und SP.G.1.049) proved to be simple and accurate in detecting a hemoglobin level <8g/dl and <11g/dl in pregnancy (sensitivity 95% and 96.2%, specificity 98.5% and 91%, positive predictive value 75% and 82.0%, negative predictive value 99.4% and 99%) respectively. The estimated cost of this screening method was six times less than the cost of the standard cyanmethaemoglobin method. The over all prevalence of anaemia was 37% the rate being 19.2% and 40.0% for urban and rural residents respectively. The majority (65.3%) had moderate anaemia, 28.9% mild anaemia and 5.8% had severe anemia.

Conclusion: In this study the copper sulphate method was found to be accurate, cheap, simple and can be recommended for screening for anaemia in pregnancy of primary health care level