Physical Activity and Hemoglobin Level Among Married Women During Childbearing Age in Mosul

Abstract

Women's health in general is affected by various important social, cultural, behavioral, and biological factors. Physical activity of women through various domestic and occupational works differs according to their age, education, pregnancy status, and general health status. The effect of physical activity on hemoglobin level should not be ignored specially when considering women's health during childbearing age (15-49) whether pregnant or non-pregnant as the women more prone to iron deficiency anemia due to largely loss of blood with menstruation, pregnancy, physical effort, and insufficient dietary iron. The aim of this study is to determine the relation between physical activity and anemia state of married women during childbearing age. A cross sectional study design was adopted of 912 married women were seen at four randomly selected primary health care centers. These centers were (Al-Sukar, Al-Sharqi, Al-Hadbaa and Al-Mansoor), during the period from 1st August 2007 to 1st of February 2008. The interview was face-to-face, utilization the International Physical Activity Questionnaire the long version, 2002 to determine the level of physical activity. The information included in the data collection tool include, the socio-demographic character, levels of physical activity, and measuring of hemoglobin level. The study shows that half of non-pregnant were anemic and half of the pregnants were anemic too. The study revealed that two thirds of the women who were having heavy activities and 53.2% of the women with moderate activities were suffering from anemia according to Hb level. This study concluded that half of the sample was anemic and had association with physical effort, so that women in childbearing age need special care by increasing the attention towards providing better health care services in antenatal care center.