The Effect of Policy and Pregnant Women’s Behavior on the Incidences of Anemia in Coastal Communities

A shortage of hemoglobin suffered by a pregnant woman is one of health problems that often occur during pregnancy. Anemia most often encountered in pregnancy is one caused by iron deficiency anemia due to inadequate intake of iron in the diet. Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) reveals that 40% of maternal deaths in developing countries are related to anemia during pregnancy. Data from Indonesian Demographic and Health Survey (IDHS) mentions that Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) associated with pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum in Indonesia amounted to 359 per 100,000 live births. This is the highest figure in Southeast Asia and is still far beyond the target of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2015, which is 102 per 100.000 live births. Anemia can cause abortion, missed abortion, congenital anomalies, premature labor, antepartum bleeding, impaired fetal growth, low birth weight, susceptible to infection, low Intelligence Quotient (IQ), and can increase perinatal death. This study analyzes how policy and behavior of pregnant women affect the incidence of anemia in coastal communities. This study uses a quantitative method with a design of cross sectional study, and then followed by the Forum Group Discussion (FGD). Samplesare determined by means of total sampling, thereby involving the whole population of pregnant women, totaling 119 respondents. Results show that, concerning the distribution of respondentsfrequency, 79 (66.4%) women are at risk of anemia, whereas the remaining 40 (33.6%) are not. In terms of the pregnant women’s behavior, 78 respondents (65.5%) fall into a category of those with good behaviors, whereas 41 (34.5%) are into a category of bad behaviors. Result of statistical test of X? on the behavior of pregnant women is ρValue = 0.018,therefore it can be concluded that there is a correlation between pregnant women’s behaviorsand anemia. This result is expected to be taken into consideration in designing health policy and education to the community in the efforts to preventanemia from occurring in the community, especially the pregnant women.