Bibliographic information
Guideline—
Year of Publication—
Issuing Institution—
Recommendation
Maintained
Originally developed
Full blood count testing is the recommended method for diagnosing anaemia during pregnancy. Where fully blood count testing is not available, onsite haemoglobin testing with a hamoglobinometer is recommended over the haemoglobin colour scale method as the method for detecting anaemia.
Context specific recommendation
Only in specific contexts
Certainty of evidence
Moderate
Notes and Remarks
- 1.The GDG agreed that the high recurrent costs of Hb testing with haemoglobinometers might reduce the feasibility of this method in some low-resource settings, in which case the WHO haemoglobin colour scale method may be used.
- 2.Other low-technology on-site methods for detecting anaemia need development and/or investigation
Also Featured In
This recommendation also appears in the following guidelines:
Guideline
WHO recommendations on maternal health: guidelines approved by the WHO Guidelines Review Committee, second edition. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025
Year2023
InstitutionWHO
Guideline
Consolidated guidelines for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of postpartum haemorrhage
Year2025
InstitutionWorld Health Organization