Postpartum Hemorrhage (PPH) and Low Birth Weight (LBW) in Anemia in Pregnancy in St. Lucy Catholic Hospital, Tamale, Ghana

This article aimed to explore the relationship between postpartum hemorrhage and low birth weight in pregnant women with anemia at St. Lucy Catholic Hospital in Tamale. The study employed a retrospective descriptive research design with a quantitative approach to analyze records of 165 pregnant women. Additionally, factual information was collected using a self-developed questionnaire administered to participants in the maternal health registry at St. Lucy Catholic Hospital in Tamale between July 2023 and July 2024. A thorough literature review was carried out to compile an inventory of knowledge about low birth weight and postpartum hemorrhage in pregnant women with anemia at the said facility. The study revealed that within one year (2023-2024), 95.8% of the pregnant women who visited the hospital and were anemic had low birth weights. However, 9.1% of the anemic expectant mothers experienced postpartum hemorrhage. The research was informed by the Anemia-PPH-LBW Cascade Theory, which posits that anemia during pregnancy triggers events such as placental insufficiency, uterine atony, and coagulopathy, thereby increasing the risk of postpartum hemorrhage and low birth weight. Midwives should consciously implement the active management of the third stage of labor. Through education on diet and adherence to medications, anemia could be reduced, positively affecting low birth weight and minimizing postpartum hemorrhage.