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Article History

Received: 29 January 2026

Accepted: 9 June 2026

First Online: 23 July 2026

Declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate: The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Health Research Ethics Review Committee (IHRERC) of the College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University (Ref. No. IHRERC/049/2024). Official letters of cooperation were obtained from the respective university administrations before data collection. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to enrollment after providing information about the study objectives, procedures, potential benefits, and possible risks. For participants who were unable to read or write, the consent form was read and explained in the local language, and informed consent was obtained accordingly. Participation was voluntary, and participants were informed of their right to refuse participation, decline to answer any question, or withdraw from the study at any time without any consequences. Confidentiality and privacy were maintained throughout the study. No personal identifiers were collected, and all data were anonymized and securely stored. Pregnant women identified with severe anaemia (hemoglobin < 7.0 g/dL) were counseled and referred to the nearest health facility for appropriate clinical evaluation and management in accordance with national maternal health guidelines. Women with moderate anaemia were advised on dietary improvement and iron supplementation and linked to antenatal care services for further follow-up.

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.