A STUDY ON THE EFFECTS OF LOW HEMOGLOBIN ON POSTNATAL WOMEN

Objective: to assess the effect of low haemoglobin (Hb) on the mental and physical health of postnatal women. Design: survey conducted betwe en May 1991 and February 1992. Setting: maternity unit in district gen eral hospital in the UK. Participants: 1010 postnatal women who had de livered a live baby, did not stay in hospital for seven or more days p ostnatally, whose baby was not admitted to the neonatal unit and who d id not have a current psychiatric disorder. Measurements: Hb levels at 'booking', 34 weeks gestation, three days and six weeks post delivery ; the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and a self-completio n questionnaire at ten days, four weeks and six weeks post delivery. F indings: women with a low Hb are more likely to be under 25 years of a ge, primiparous, be anaemic at 34 weeks gestation, not to have had a n ormal delivery, have had a blood loss greater than 250 ml and to have had heavy lochia postnatally. Low Hb levels were not associated with h igh EPDS scores. Low Hb levels were related to reports of low energy, breathlessness, faintness/dizziness, painful perineal sutures and ting ling in fingers and toes at ten days post delivery. Whilst tiredness p ersisted to six weeks post delivery the other symptoms disappeared. Im plications for practice: in order to reduce the incidence of postnatal anaemia a review of policies for testing is recommended so that the i ncidence of physical problems in the first six weeks can be reduced. T here is a need for further research into the causes and potential alle viation of tiredness.