THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MATERNAL ADHERENCE TO IRON SUPPLEMENTS AND THE INCIDENCE OF ANEMIA AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN THE THIRD TRIMESTER IN THE SERVICE AREA OF THE PLANTUNGAN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, KENDAL REGENCY

Abstrak

Anemia during pregnancy is a significant problem because it can increase morbidity and mortality in both mothers and newborns. One of the Indonesian government’s efforts to reduce the incidence of anemia during pregnancy is by requiring pregnant women to take 90 iron supplements throughout their pregnancy. Objective: To analyze the relationship between maternal adherence to taking iron supplements and the incidence of anemia in third-trimester pregnant women. Methods: This was a quantitative, analytical, correlational study using a cross-sectional approach. The study population consisted of all third-trimester pregnant women, with a sample size of 39 third-trimester pregnant women. The MMAS-8 questionnaire was used as the research instrument. Data analysis involved univariate and bivariate analyses (chi-square test). Results: The majority of respondents were of reproductive age, highly educated, employed in the private sector, nulliparous, attended antenatal care (ANC) visits as recommended, and earned the minimum wage (UMR). Most respondents were non-compliant with iron supplement intake and suffered from anemia. There is a significant association between maternal adherence to iron supplement intake and the incidence of anemia. Pregnant women who were non-adherent to iron supplement intake were 37.5 times more likely to develop anemia. Conclusion: There is a significant association between mothers’ adherence to taking iron supplements and the incidence of anemia in the Plantungan Community Health Center’s service area. Non-adherence is associated with a higher prevalence of anemia.