Prevention of Anemia During Pregnancy: Challenges of antenatal nursing professional care
Keywords:
Anemia in pregnancy, Pregnant Women, Nursing Role, Health Belief Model, Antenatal CareAbstract
Abstract
Anemia in pregnancy remains a major public health concern both globally and nationally, significantly affecting the health outcomes of both mothers and fetuses. This article aims to present the current situation, etiologies, relevant policies, and nursing guidelines for preventing anemia in pregnant women by integrating current evidence-based practices. The synthesis indicates that nursing interventions guided by the Health Belief Model (HBM) framework in conjunction with the utilization of digital media are highly effective in enhancing knowledge and risk perception, thereby promoting health-preventive behaviors among pregnant women against gestational anemia. These findings highlight a significant challenge for professional nurses in antenatal care (ANC) units to develop proactive nursing systems. Such systems must comprehensively encompass screening and client risk categorization, health education, and continuous follow-up to minimize the incidence of new-onset gestational anemia.
References
World Health Organization. WHO global anaemia estimates: key findings, 2025 [Internet].
Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025 [cited 2026 Sep 4]. Available from:
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240113930
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommendations to prevent and control
iron deficiency in the United States. MMWR Recomm Rep [Internet]. 1998 Apr 3;47(RR
:1-29. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00051880.htm
Beressa G, Whiting SJ, Kuma MN, Lencha B, Belachew T. Association between anemia in
pregnancy with low birth weight and preterm birth in Ethiopia: a systematic review and
meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2024;19(9). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0310329.
กรมอนามัย. ร้อยละของหญิงตั้งครรภ์มีภาวะโลหิตจาง [Internet]. ระบบสารสนเทศสนับสนุนงาน
ส่งเสริมสุขภาพและอนามัยสิ่งแวดล้อม (DoH Dashboard); 2568 [cited 2026 Sep 4]. Available
from: https://dashboard.anamai.moph.go.th/dashboard/anemia1549n/index?year=2025
โรงพยาบาลสหัสขันธ์. รายงานสถิติหญิงตั้งครรภ์และผลการดำเนินงานคลินิกฝากครรภ์ โรงพยาบาลสหัส
ขันธ์ ปีงบประมาณ 2568. งานฝากครรภ์ กลุ่มงานบริการด้านปฐมภูมิและองค์รวม โรงพยาบาลสหัสขันธ์;
Kirthan JPA, Somannavar MS. Pathophysiology and management of iron deficiency
anaemia in pregnancy: a review. Ann Hematol. 2024;103(8):2637-2646.
doi:10.1007/s00277-023-05481-2.
Sauli EJ, Azizi K, Hancy A, Twin'omujuni A, Katana D, Shine J, et al. The prevalence and
risk factors associated with iron, vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies in pregnant women:
a cross-sectional study in Mbeya, Tanzania. PLOS Glob Public Health. 2023;3(4).
doi:10.1371/journal.pgph.0001828.
Brooker S, Hotez PJ, Bundy DAP. Hookworm-related anaemia among pregnant women: a
systematic review. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2008;2(9). doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0000291.
Alem AZ, Efendi F, McKenna L, Felipe-Dimog EB, Chilot D, Tonapa SI. Prevalence and
factors associated with anemia in women of reproductive age across low- and middle
income countries based on national data. Sci Rep. 2023;13:20335. doi:10.1038/s41598
-46739-z.
World Health Organization. Accelerating anaemia reduction: a comprehensive framework
for action [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2023 [cited 2026 Sep 4].
Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240074033
United Nations. The Sustainable Development Goals report 2023: special edition
[Internet]. New York: United Nations; 2023 [cited 2026 Sep 4]. Available from:
https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2023/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report
สำนักงานสภาพัฒนาการเศรษฐกิจและสังคมแห่งชาติ. ยุทธศาสตร์ชาติ พ.ศ. 2561-2580 [Internet].
กรุงเทพฯ: สำนักงานเลขานุการของคณะกรรมการยุทธศาสตร์ชาติ; 2561 [cited 2026 Sep 4].
Available from: https://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2561/A/082/T_0001.PDF
กรมอนามัย. คู่มือการฝากครรภ์ สำหรับบุคลากรสาธารณสุข. พิมพ์ครั้งที่ 1 [Internet]. กรุงเทพฯ: สำนัก
ส่งเสริมสุขภาพ กรมอนามัย กระทรวงสาธารณสุข; 2565 [cited 2026 Sep 4]. Available from:
https://hp.anamai.moph.go.th/th/news
anamai/download/?did=210292&id=94595&reload=&preview=1
สำนักงานหลักประกันสุขภาพแห่งชาติ. คู่มือผู้ใช้สิทธิหลักประกันสุขภาพแห่งชาติสำหรับประชาชน 2566
[Internet]. กรุงเทพฯ: สำนักงานหลักประกันสุขภาพแห่งชาติ; 2566 [cited 2026 Sep 4]. Available
from: https://media.nhso.go.th/ebook/flipbook/171/1/1
Salama AA. Utilizing health belief model to enhance the preventive behavior against iron
deficiency anemia among pregnant women. IOSR J Nurs Health Sci [Internet].
;7(4):59-69. Available from: https://iosrjournals.org/iosr-jnhs/papers/vol7
issue4/Version-1/G0704015969.pdf
Khoramabadi M, Dolatian M, Hajian S, Zamanian M, Taheripanah R, Sheikhan Z, et al.
Effects of education based on health belief model on dietary behaviors of Iranian
pregnant women. Glob J Health Sci. 2016;8(2):230-239. doi:10.5539/gjhs.v8n2p230.
Khani Jeihooni A, Razmjouie F, Jormand H, Sedghi Jahromi F, Afzali Harsini P, Kamyab A,
et al. Effectiveness of educational intervention in improving physical activity and
nutritional performance among pregnant women: a pre-post quasi-experimental study
using health belief model. Front Glob Womens Health. 2024;5:1471957.
doi:10.3389/fgwh.2024.1471957.
Engidaw MT, Lee P, Fekadu G, Mondal P, Ahmed F. Effect of nutrition education during
pregnancy on iron-folic acid supplementation compliance and anemia in low- and
middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Rev. 2025;83(7).
doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuae170.
Skolmowska D, Głąbska D, Guzek D. Effectiveness of dietary interventions in prevention
and treatment of iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women: a systematic review of
randomized controlled trials. Nutrients. 2022;14(15):3023. doi:10.3390/nu14153023.
Arifah I, Pambarep TSA, Khoiriyah L, Kusumaningrum TAI, Werdani KE, Ngadiyono NP.
Effectiveness of daily educational message on pregnancy anemia prevention behavior
and knowledge: a pilot randomized controlled trial. J Educ Health Promot. 2023;12:296.
doi:10.4103/jehp.jehp_108_23.
Fatthy SM, Ezzat EM. A smartphone-based health behavioral intervention for pregnant
women with iron deficiency anemia. Egypt J Health Care. 2020;11(2):1163-1176.
doi:10.21608/ejhc.2020.272613.
Waeberaheng W, Chatchawet W, Kritcharoen S. Factors influencing eating and taking iron
supplement behaviors for anemia prevention in pregnant women. Princess Naradhiwas
Univ J [Internet]. 2019;11(3):15-28. Available from: https://li01.tci
thaijo.org/index.php/pnujr/article/view/134846/147673
Reshid M, Anato A. Community-based nutrition education and counselling provided
during pregnancy: effects on knowledge and attitude towards iron-folic acid
supplementation. J Nutr Sci. 2024;13. doi:10.1017/jns.2024.59.
World Health Organization. WHO guideline: recommendations on digital interventions for
health system strengthening [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2019 [cited
Sep 4]. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241550505
World Health Organization. Global strategy on digital health 2020-2027 [Internet].
Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025 [cited 2026 Sep 4]. Available from:
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116870
World Health Organization. Ethics and governance of artificial intelligence for health:
WHO guidance [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2021 [cited 2026 Sep 4].
Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240029200
คณะกรรมการคุ้มครองข้อมูลส่วนบุคคล. ประกาศคณะกรรมการคุ้มครองข้อมูลส่วนบุคคล เรื่อง
มาตรการรักษาความมั่นคงปลอดภัยของผู้ควบคุมข้อมูลส่วนบุคคล พ.ศ. 2565 [Internet]. ราชกิจจา
นุเบกษา. 2565 มิ.ย. 20;139(ตอนพิเศษ 140 ง):28-31. Available from:
https://www.mdes.go.th/law/detail/5653
พระราชบัญญัติคุ้มครองข้อมูลส่วนบุคคล พ.ศ. 2562 [Internet]. ราชกิจจานุเบกษา. 2562 พ.ค.
;136(69 ก):52-95. Available from:
https://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2562/A/069/T_0052.PDF
National Institute of Standards and Technology. Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)
[Internet]. FIPS PUB 197-upd1. Gaithersburg (MD): National Institute of Standards and
Technology; 2023 [cited 2026 Sep 4]. Available from:
https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.FIPS.197-upd1
Temoshok D, Choong YY, Regenscheid A, Galluzzo R, Fenton J, Richer J, et al. Digital
identity guidelines: authentication and authenticator management [Internet]. NIST
Special Publication 800-63B-4. Gaithersburg (MD): National Institute of Standards and
Technology; 2025 [cited 2026 Sep 4]. Available from:
Downloads
Additional Files
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Kalasin Hospital Journal
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
