Kilifi: Concern over anemia cases among expectant mothers

In Kiwandani Dispensary, Sokoni Ward in Kilifi North, Wananchi Reporting spoke to Irene Kibibi, a mother of five, who had visited the clinic with her youngest child  - a seven-month old baby for a monthly checkup.

She said she suffered anemia during all of her five pregnancies.

Kibibi said her situation worsened when she was pregnant with her fifth child and lost a lot of blood during delivery, which required her to get a blood transfusion.

“I required three pints of blood," she said.

Kibibi said she had several nausea episodes, throughout her pregnancy and had to attend antenatal clinics religiously.

In another case, Josephine Bahati, a mother of 4, said she delivered her first child at home for lack of transport to a health facility.

However, she said she had complications after losing a lot of blood.

"I was forced to abandon my job at a construction site because of complications from anemia," she said.

Rebecca Kosgey, a nurse at Kiwandani Dispensary, said that out of the 200 to 300 pregnant women the facility attends to every month, about 80% have anemia.

"Most women start their antenatal clinic visits later in their pregnancy despite a recommendation of 8 antenatal visits throughout pregnancy as per WHO requirements," she said.

Kosgey said starting antenatal clinics visits later can have an impact because some women have complications that need to be attended to early.