[Anaemia in pregnancy and in the immediate postpartum period. Prevalence and risk factors in pregnancy and childbirth].

Introduction And Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of anaemia in the immediate postpartum period (48-72hours), determine the risk factors and the value of haemoglobin before birth to reduce postpartum anaemia.

Material And Methods: A prospective, observational and longitudinal study that included 1,426 women who delivered consecutively and agreed to participate in the study. Different variables, analytical, epidemiological, foetal and maternal symptoms were studied.

Results: The prevalence of anaemia in the postpartum period was 49.7%. The most important risk factors were antepartum anaemia and type of delivery. The types of delivery most influencing postpartum anaemia were, forceps (82.3%), the ventouse 67%, cesarean section (58,2%) and vaginal delivery (37.2%). In the multivariate study was found as the most important independent risk factors, the haemoglobin in the delivery day (OR 6.16, CI: 3.73 to 10.15) and instrumental delivery (OR: 4.61, CI: 3.44 to 6, 19). Other independent risk factors were haemoglobin in the third trimester, episiotomy and perineal tears, ethnicity, birth weight, parity and intra/postpartum complications.

Conclusions: Anaemia in the immediate postpartum is a prevalent problem. The factors most associated postpartum anaemia were antepartum anaemia and instrumental delivery. If patients arrive at the day of delivery with haemoglobins≥12,6g/dl and were restricted to necessary instrumented deliveries and cesarean sections, episiotomies and we could avoid perineal tears we can decrease anaemia in the immediate postpartum period very significantly.