Copy Right: The Authors retain the copyrights of this article, with first publication rights granted to Medsci Publications. License Term: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 Publisher: Medsci Publications [www.medscipublications.com] ISSN: 2249 4995 Official website: www.njmr.in National Journal of Medical Research | Volume 15 | Issue 01 | January-March 2025 50 Unveiling The Burden of Anaemia: Socio-Demographic and Obstetric Determinants Among Pregnant Women in Mehsana District, Gujarat Nitin A Lodha 1 , Hitesh L Bhabhor 2 , Ullas H Bhabhor 3 , Jayna D Devalia 4* , Jatin D Chhaya 5 1 Department of Community Medicine, Nootan Medical College and Research Centre, Visnagar, India 2,5 Department of Community Medicine, GMERS Medical College, Navsari, India 3 Department of Microbiology, Government Medical College, Bhavnagar, India 4 Department of Physiology, GMERS Medical College, Valsad, India DOI:10.55489/njmr.150120251044 *Corresponding author: Dr. Jayna Devalia (Email: jaynadevalia@gmail.com) Date of Submission: 09/11/2024 Date of Acceptance: 16/12/2024 Date of Publication: 01/01/2025 Funding Support: None Declare Conflict of Interest: None Declare How to cite this article: Lodha NA, Bhabhor HL, Bhabhor UH, Devalia JD, Chhaya JD. Unveiling The Burden of Anaemia: Socio- Demographic and Obstetric Determi- nants Among Pregnant Women in Mehsana District, Gujarat. Natl J Med Res 2025;15(01):50-56. DOI: 10.55489/njmr.150120251044 ABSTRACT Background: Anemia is a leading contributor to maternal mortality in India. Early identification and timely intervention during pregnancy can help prevent adverse health outcomes. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of anaemia among pregnant women and identify associated socio-demographic and obstetric fac- tors. Methodology: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among pregnant women. Based on a reported prevalence of 62.6% from NFHS-5 data, a sample size of 239 was calculated. For simplicity and completeness, a total of 250 samples were included in the study. Participants were selected using sys- tematic random sampling, and data were collected using a pretested proforma from Obstretic and Gynecology OPD. Descriptive statistics were applied to de- termine the prevalence and severity of anaemia, and statistical tests were con- ducted to assess associations. Results: The prevalence of anaemia among pregnant women was 78.8%. Moder- ate anaemia was observed in 66.5% of cases, mild anaemia in 28.9%, and severe anaemia in 4.6%. Significant associations were found between anaemia and fac- tors such as education level, locality, social class, husband’s education, pregnan- cy interval, and complications in previous pregnancies. Conclusions: A high prevalence of anaemia was observed among pregnant women, with multiple contributing factors identified. Comprehensive interven- tions, including counselling, screening, and health education, are recommended to address and reduce the high burden of anaemia in this population. Keywords: Anaemia, Determinants, Pregnancy, Prevalence INTRODUCTION Anaemia, characterized by a decreased concentration of haemoglobin, is one of the most prevalent nutritional deficiency disorders globally, affecting over a quarter of the world’s population. It remains a significant public health problem impacting all age groups, with the high- est prevalence observed among children under five and pregnant women. 1 Among pregnant women, anaemia is especially common, with a prevalence of 14% in devel- ORIGINAL ARTICLE