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Dr Achla Batra

75% women at Safdarjung hospital for delivery are anemic

Rohit Shishodia
Three-fourth of women coming for treatment before delivery to the Safdarjung hospital in Delhi have been found to be anemic.

“I had done a study as a student thirty years ago that revealed that 72%-80% women coming for treatment to Safdarjung hospital were anemic. Till date, this percentage remains more or less the same. Today 72-75% women are anemic,” said Dr Achla Batra, Consultant and Associate Professor, at VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, Delhi.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 25th annual conference of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in Delhi, Dr Batra pointed out that anemia has not been eradicated because women eat food after the family has eaten.

“Whatever is left after the family has eaten is eaten by the women. If nothing is left, she remains hungry. The woman is not important. This is why anemia is still prevalent,” says Dr Batra.

Dr Batra explains that anemia can lead to premature birth of the baby. This may not affect the health of the baby but does affect the health of the mother. With anemia, the woman gets excessive bleeding, which can be life threatening.

Dr Batra explains that 500 ml bleeding can be hazardous as she may easily get infection. She may get milk feeding problems. When the child is not fed properly, he or she may also get infection by taking different milk.

“So anemia is something that needs to be addressed. The government is doing a lot to reduce anemia among women. May be after 10 years, anemia may be eradicated,” adds Dr Batra.

Dr Batra informed that Safdarjung conducts 37,000 deliveries per year. 30 per cent of 37,000 are C-section deliveries. “It is acceptable because so many patients are referred from different health facilities from Delhi and outside Delhi. These patients have various problems . Our C-section rates are good as compared to other hospitals,” adds Dr Batra.


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