Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>Background Maternal anemia during pregnancy is a serious medical condition for the newborn, which can impair fetal development and lead to situation such as low birth weight. The recognition and prevent of maternal anemia remains a major challenge, especially in rural areas and areas with limited healthcare facilities. Objective The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of anemia among pregnant mothers in a rural population of Dhaka and to evaluate the relationship between maternal hemoglobin status and newborn birth weight. Methods A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted on 406 pregnant mothers in selected rural areas of Dhaka and Narayanganj from August 2024 to July 2025. Maternal hemoglobin data were collected from antenatal care (ANC) and medical records and maternal anemia was considered as Hb < 11 g/dL according to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Birth weight of the newborn was collected from delivery records and was classified as low birth weight if < 2500 g. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 and Chi-square test was applied to determine the relationship. Results The study found that 63.1% of mothers did not receive any ANC and a similar proportion did not have their hemoglobin tested. Among mothers whose hemoglobin was tested, severe, moderate and mild anemia were detected. 49.3% of the total newborns had a birth weight of less than 2.5 kg. There was a statistically significant association between maternal hemoglobin levels and newborn birth weight (p < 0.001). Conclusion The results of this study indicate that maternal anemia, limited ANC uptake, and inadequate Hb screening in rural areas are significantly associated with adverse neonatal outcomes. Early identification of anemia during pregnancy, regular ANC care, and ensuring iron-folic acid supplementation may be important steps to reduce low birth weight.</p>