The Prevalence of Anemia among Pregnant Women in China: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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The Prevalence of Anemia among Pregnant Women in China: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Zhou et al., 2024 | Nutrients | Meta Analysis

Citation

Zhou Yalin, Lyu Ying, ... Xu Yajun. The Prevalence of Anemia among Pregnant Women in China: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2024-Jun-13;16(12). doi:10.3390/nu16121854

Abstract

The systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to ascertain the prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency (ID), and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) among Chinese pregnant women. A total of 722 articles on maternal anemia during pregnancy published between January 2010 and December 2020 were compiled, and a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted on 57 eligible studies including 1,376,204 pregnant women to ascertain the prevalence of anemia and the prevalence in different subgroups. The results showed that the prevalence of anemia, ID, and IDA among pregnant women in China were 30.7% (95% CI: 26.6%, 34.7%), 45.6% (95% CI: 37.0%, 54.2%), and 17.3% (95% CI: 13.9%, 20.7%), respectively. All prevalence increased with the progression of the pregnancy. There were sizable regional variations in the prevalence of anemia, ID, and IDA. Generally, lower prevalence was observed in the economically more advanced eastern region of the country, while the prevalence of ID was higher in the eastern region than that in the western region. The prevalence of anemia and IDA in rural areas was higher than that in urban areas, but ID prevalence was higher in urban areas. In conclusion, the regional differences and urban-rural disparities in the prevalence of anemia indicate the need for more context-specific interventions to prevent and treat anemia. It was found that dietary factors were one of the major causes of anemia, and iron-containing supplements and nutrition counseling could be effective interventions to reduce the prevalence of anemia, ID, and IDA among Chinese pregnant women.

Key Findings

It was found that dietary factors were one of the major causes of anemia, and iron-containing supplements and nutrition counseling could be effective interventions to reduce the prevalence of anemia, ID, and IDA among Chinese pregnant women.

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population pregnant women
Sample Size See abstract
Age Range See abstract
Condition deficiency

MeSH Terms

  • Humans
  • Female
  • Pregnancy
  • China
  • Prevalence
  • Anemia, Iron-Deficiency
  • Anemia
  • Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic
  • Adult
  • Rural Population
  • Urban Population
  • Pregnant People

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Journal Article, Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis
  • Vertical: iron

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09