The changing pattern of maternal and neonatal anemia at Udaipur during 2 decades in relation to poverty, parity, prematurity and vegetarianism.

The analysis of blood of 50 nonanaemic (Hb greater than 10 g%) and 50 anaemic (Hb less than 10 g%) mothers and of their cords with regard to haemoglobin, iron, iron binding capacity and percent saturation of iron was done. It was found that (A) the severity of anaemia and iron deficiency was much greater in women belonging to poor class, vegetarian families or multigravida, (B) the children born prematurely or to anaemic mothers, poor families, strict vegetarians or multiparous women were at a greater risk of developing anaemia and/or iron deficiency, (C) the severity of anaemia and iron deficiency has decreased in last 2 decades in the population served by Zanana Hospital, Udaipur, (D) vegetarianism may be one of the important causative factor of anaemia in pregnant women of this region and their newborn children, and (E) the incidence of macrocytic or macrocytic hypochromic anaemia in pregnant women has become rare in last 20 years.