Anemia Pregnancy Outcome on the Thai-Myanmar Border (AnPREG)

August 29, 2018 updated by: University of Oxford

Causes and Impact of Anemia on Pregnancy Outcome on the Thai-Myanmar Border: Retrospective Analysis

The global burden of maternal morbidity and mortality attributable to anemia is staggering, and this is especially true in low-resource settings. A recent review suggests 42% of pregnant women have anemia worldwide (1993-2005) with the vast majority of anemic women (90%) residing in Africa or Asia1; and in Asia, anemia was the second highest cause of maternal mortality2. Anemia was diagnosed in almost one third to one half of women presenting to the Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU) clinics on the Thai-Myanmar border for antenatal care (ANC) in a 2008 survey3, and anemia at first antenatal visit was associated with a two-fold increase in maternal mortality in this population4. Studies have also shown an association between anemia and small for gestational age infants, preterm delivery, infant and childhood anemia and developmental delays5.

The anemia in pregnant women presenting to SMRU clinics is multifactorial, as hemoglobinopathies, Glucose-6-dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, iron, folic acid and B12 deficiency, helminth infection, and malaria are all prevalent in this rural population. Though all of these pathologies can cause anemia, they require different and sometimes conflicting treatment and prevention strategies, interacting in a complex web of causes and effects. Iron supplementation is the mainstay of most anemia control programs, but some women with hemoglobinopathies suffer from potentially fatal iron overload6. Iron supplementation has also been associated with increased risk of malaria7. Some helminth infections are associated with increased rates of anemia and malaria, but others may be protective8. Malaria and G6PD deficiency have complex effects on one another, and some malaria treatments can cause acute and life-threatening hemolysis in G6PD deficient individuals9.

Given the high prevalence and diverse causes of anemia in this population, and its potentially dire effects on maternal and infant health and survival, SMRU implemented increased clinical testing for pregnant women in 2012 to inform clinical care at the individual level. Further analysis of these data is urgently needed to improve care on a population scale. We propose to review existing data from ANC records to determine the causes and effects of anemia in this population, and use this information to improve treatment and prevention guidelines. Results would be integrated rapidly into local practice with the potential to have profound impacts on maternal and child health in this region.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

13520

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • Tak
      • Mae Sot, Tak, Thailand, 63110
        • Shoklo Malaria Research Unit

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Data from approximately 15,548 new pregnant women enrolled to antenatal care from antenatal care (ANC) services of Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU) clinics during August 2012 to 31-Dec-2016.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnant woman voluntarily presented at SMRU antenatal clinics and at the first antenatal visit they were counselled about the types of tests that would be made available and that if they did not want to do them they could opt out and SMRU would still provide antenatal care, as for any other pregnant woman.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Women who chose to opt out of clinical sampling were excluded. Additionally, a very small number of women who were unstable at presentation to SMRU clinics were not sampled if sampling would have interfered with their clinical care.

However, since samples were generally clinically indicated to guide care in these patients, the majority did have testing done.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Cohort
  • Time Perspectives: Retrospective

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Hematology
Time Frame: 1 year
The contribution of thalassemia/other inherited red blood cell (IRBC) abnormalities to anemia in pregnant refugee and migrant Myanmar women attending antenatal clinics in a low resource setting.
1 year

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Hematology
Time Frame: 1 year
The interaction between thalassemia/ other IRBC abnormalities and environmental (nutritional and infectious) causes of anemia
1 year
Serum ferritin
Time Frame: 1 year
The pattern of iron stores (measured by serum ferritin) in pregnant women with thalassemia/ other IRBC abnormalities
1 year
The risk of maternal morbidities
Time Frame: 1 year
The risk of maternal morbidities (especially gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, miscarriage) and/or infant morbidities (small for gestational age, stillbirth, anemia, predisposition to infection in the first year of life) in pregnancies with maternal thalassemia/other IRBC abnormalities
1 year

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

July 20, 2017

Primary Completion (Actual)

July 20, 2017

Study Completion (Actual)

July 20, 2018

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 30, 2017

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 30, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

June 2, 2017

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 31, 2018

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 29, 2018

Last Verified

August 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • SMRU1703

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

Yes

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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