WHO Reports Alarming Anemia Rates Among Women and Children

2025-05-02 population

Global, Friday, 2 May 2025.
The WHO’s 2025 estimates highlight widespread anemia in women and children, with 30.7% of non-pregnant and 35.5% of pregnant women affected, threatening global health targets.

Global Health Crisis Deepens

The latest World Health Organization data reveals concerning statistics, with 39.8% of children aged 6-59 months affected by anemia as of 2019 [1]. This widespread prevalence presents significant challenges to global health initiatives, particularly as recent findings indicate that maternal anemia during early pregnancy increases the risk of congenital heart disease in offspring by 60% [2].

Impact on Maternal and Child Health

The health implications extend beyond immediate symptoms. Anemia during pregnancy leads to adverse birth outcomes and increased mortality risks, while children face compromised cognitive and motor development [1]. A recent UK study demonstrates that mothers with anemia in the first 100 days of pregnancy showed a 47% higher adjusted risk of having children with congenital heart defects, with ventricular septal defect (32%), atrial septal defect (23%), and patent ductus arteriosus (14%) being the most common conditions [3].

Treatment Advances and Healthcare Response

The medical community is responding with innovative treatments. Recent developments include promising results from momelotinib studies, where 45.7% of patients achieved transfusion independence at 6 months [4]. Additionally, new research into functional iron deficiency shows a 30% prevalence rate in pre-treatment cancer patients, highlighting the need for comprehensive screening approaches [5].

Global Health Targets at Risk

Despite these medical advances, the world remains off track to achieve the global anemia reduction target of 50% by 2030 [1]. The persistence of high anemia rates, particularly among pregnant women at 35.5% and non-pregnant women at 30.5%, underscores the urgent need for enhanced public health interventions and improved access to iron supplementation [1].

Bronnen

Anaemia Public health