Determinants of gestational night blindness in pregnant women from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract

t Objective: To describe the prevalence and determinants of gestational night blindness in pregnant women receiving care in a hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Design: Cross-sectional study of pregnant and postpartum women receiving care in a public hospital in Rio de Janeiro from 1999 to 2001 (group I; n 225) or from 2005 to 2008 (group II; n 381). Night blindness was identified through a standardized and validated interview (WHO, 1996). The determinants of gestational night blindness were identified through a hierarchical logistic regression model. Setting: Public maternity hospital in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Subjects: Adult pregnant and postpartum women (n 606), aged ≥20 years. Results: The prevalence of gestational night blindness was 9·9 %. The final model revealed that not living in the South Zone of Rio de Janeiro (distal level: adjusted OR = 1·846; 95 % CI 1·002, 3·401), belonging to group I (intermediate level: adjusted OR = 2·183; 95 % CI 1·066, 4·471) and for the proximal level, having a history of abortion (adjusted OR = 2·840; 95 % CI 1·134, 7·115) and having anaemia during the first and second trimesters of pregnancy (adjusted OR = 3·776; 95 % CI 1·579, 9·029) were determinants of gestational night blindness. Conclusion: Gestational night blindness should be assessed for during the prenatal care of all pregnant women, especially those living in deprived areas of the city and/or who have a history of abortion or anaemia. Nutritional monitoring is recommended during pregnancy to control gestational night blindness.