Abstract

Background: Pregnancy is a critical period in which significant anatomical, physiological and biochemical changes occur in both the mother and developing fetus. One of the main causes that might have harmful effect on maternal health and developing fetus is anemia during pregnancy. The aim of this study is to identify the effect of fresh Moringa leaf consumption during pregnancy on maternal hemoglobin level and its determinant among pregnant women in Gamo zone, Southern Ethiopia

Method: A community-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected 230 fresh moringa leaf consumers and 230 none consumer pregnant women from 20 to 26 weeks of gestation using pre-tested, face-to-face interviewer-administered and a structured questionnaire. Independent t test, descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable multilevel linear regression analysis was employed to identify hemoglobin level difference, individual and community level factors associated with hemoglobin level using STATA version 14.

Result: The overall mean hemoglobin level among pregnant women was 11.76 g/dl + 1.47. It was 12.06 g/dl + 1.22 among fresh moringa leaf consumers and 11.45 g/dl + 1.64 among none consumers with a significant difference of 0.61g/dl [95% CI: 0.34, 0.87]. The level of hemoglobin was 0.49 g/dl higher among pregnant women who had one child below the age of 5 years as compared to who had two child below the age of 5 years β = 0.49 [ 95% CI: 0.17, 0.82]. Hemoglobin level was 1.07 g/dl decreased among pregnant women who faced bleeding in the current pregnancy as compared to their counterpart β = -1.07 [95% CI: -1.91, -0.22]. The hemoglobin level of pregnant women who attend antenatal care in the current pregnancy was 0.45g/dl [95% CI: 0.17, 0.74] higher than those who didn’t attend. As distance to the nearest health facility increased by 1km the maternal hemoglobin level decreased by 0.10g/dl [95% CI: -0.15, - 0.06]. The level of hemoglobin was 0.57 g/dl higher among pregnant women who lived in urban as compared to who lived in rural β = 0.57 [95% CI: 0.22, 0.92]. The hemoglobin level of pregnant women who consume fresh moringa leaf during the current pregnancy was 0.90g/dl [95% CI: 0.54, 1.27] higher than those who do not consume.  The hemoglobin level of pregnant women from husband headed house hold was 0.87g/dl [95% CI: 0.40, 1.33] higher than those from wife headed house hold.

Conclusion: This study reviled that consumption of fresh moringa leaf during pregnancy increases the level of maternal hemoglobin. Furthermore, health facility distance, residence, number of under five children, bleeding during the current pregnancy, antenatal care visit, and the head of the household were found to be determinants of hemoglobin level. Therefore, concerned bodies need to target these factors in their efforts to increase maternal hemoglobin level during pregnancy.