SynthesisBMC pediatrics2025
Prevalence and associated factors of anemia among newborns in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC pediatrics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundAnemia in newborns is a complex health problem posing immediate life-threatening and long-term complications, and it is considered a serious global public health problem, particularly in African countries. Due to significant geographical variations in anemia prevalence across different African countries, inconsistencies between study findings were notably increased. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the pooled prevalence and its associated factors of anemia among newborns in Africa.
methodsThis systematic review and meta-analysis was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024608059) and conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A comprehensive and structured search was carried out in PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, ScienceDirect, HINARI, and Web of Science, covering all literature available up to July 20, 2025. A meta-analysis using a random-effects model was performed. The heterogeneity of studies was assessed using I2 statistics, and to identify the possible causes of heterogeneity, subgroup analysis and meta-regression were used. Egger’s test and funnel plots were used to evaluate a publication bias. STATA version 17.0 software was used for data analysis, and a p-value < 0.05 was used to declare a statistical significance.
resultsFourteen articles with 4488 newborns were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. This review found that the prevalence of anemia among newborns in Africa was found to be 30.52% (95% CI: 22.92, 38.11) (I2 = 96.94%). The subgroup analysis using the regions of the continent showed that the lowest prevalence was observed in East Africa (23.48%; 95% CI: 19.01, 27.96) (I2 = 84.82%), followed by West Africa (39.46%; 95% CI: 14.58, 64.34) (I2 = 99.16%). Insufficient vegetable consumption (OR: 3.22, 95% CI: 1.93, 5.37), maternal anemia (OR: 2.94, 95% CI: 1.55, 5.58), lack of iron supplementation during pregnancy (OR: 2.66, 95% CI: 1.35, 5.23), and having a history of antepartum hemorrhage (APH) (OR: 2.26, 95% CI: 1.39, 3.66) were factors associated with anemia among newborns in Africa. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Anemia remains a significant public health concern in Africa, with approximately one-third of newborns affected. Maternal anemia, insufficient vegetable consumption, lack of iron supplementation during pregnancy, and a history of antepartum hemorrhage were significantly associated with anemia among newborns.
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