Abstract

Background: Anemia in children is a frequent problem. Worldwide, it affects 25% of the population ranging from 64.6% in Africa to 3.4% in North America. Iron deficiency is the main cause of anemia. Even though  studies indicate that the percentage of anemia among preschool children is decreasing in Bahrain, it is still considered high and needs immediate intervention.
Objective: To estimate the prevalence of anemia among nine-month-old infants attending child screening services in local health centers during the month of July 2012, and to examine the correlation between hemoglobinopathies and anemia in mothers during pregnancy and anemia in infants.
Methods: This was a descriptive, retrospective study. The records of 1,378 nine-month-old infants attending mother and child care for child screening services in all local health centers during July 2012 were studied.
Results: 1,230 infants (89.3%) had hemoglobin level test done. 498 cases (40.5%) were anemic, mainly of the mild type; 208 anemic children (41.8%) had no hemoglobinopathies, 140 (28.1%) had hemoglobinopathies and 150 (30.1%) were not tested for hemoglobinopathies. The commonest type of hemoglobinopathy was alpha-thalassemia, 91 (18.5%), followed by sickle cell trait, 58 (11.6%). 224 of the mothers of anemic infants (45%) had no anemia and 218 (43.8%) were anemic. Overall, 338 mothers with anemic infants (76.4%) had no hemoglobinopathies.
Conclusion: Anemia among infants is decreasing in the Kingdom of Bahrain generally and decreasing with age specifically but it is still considered a severe public health problem. Most of the cases of anemia among nine-month-old children are due to iron deficiency anemia and one-fifth of the cases are hemoglobinopathies. It is recommended that iron drops be supplied as daily dietary supplementation at weaning and to be continued for one year for those with negative sickle cell disease and thalassemia test at birth.

Keywords: prevalence of anemia; child screening services; hemoglobinopathies; Bahrain