Experiences of pregnant women in maintaining their health and preventing anemia following the floods in South Tapanuli Regency
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35335/midwifery.v14i4.2494Keywords:
Anemia, Experiences, Flooding, Iron Supplements, Pregnant WomenAbstract
Floods can disrupt the conditions required to maintain maternal health, including access to antenatal care, nutritious food, and routine iron supplementation. These disruptions may complicate anemia-prevention practices among pregnant women, particularly during displacement and the post-flood recovery period. This study aimed to explore the experiences of pregnant women in maintaining their health and preventing anemia following the floods in South Tapanuli Regency, Indonesia. A qualitative phenomenological study specifically a descriptive phenomenological approach was conducted at the Batang Toru Temporary Shelter in South Tapanuli Regency in June 2026. Ten women who had been pregnant during the flood participated. Data were collected through face-to-face, semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed thematically. Six themes were identified: (1) the impact of flooding on the well-being of pregnant women; (2) efforts to maintain maternal health after the flood; (3) experiences of anemia prevention after the flood; (4) support for anemia prevention; (5) barriers to anemia prevention after the flood; and (6) pregnant women’s expectations for anemia prevention during disasters. Participants described physical and psychological distress, disrupted access to food and health services, efforts to continue antenatal care and iron supplementation, and support from health workers, families, government, and volunteers. They also described the need for continuous iron supplementation, practical nutrition and anemia education, and food assistance appropriate for pregnancy. The findings indicate that anemia-prevention practices after floods are shaped not only by individual behavior but also by food availability, continuity of maternal health services, and support systems. Midwifery services in disaster settings should integrate maternal risk assessment, continuity of antenatal care, iron-supplement provision and counseling, psychosocial support, and pregnancy-appropriate food assistance. Hemoglobin levels were not measured; therefore, the study does not establish the clinical effectiveness of the reported practices in preventing anemia.
Downloads
References
Agoeng Noe. (2025). Bencana Banjir Bandang Sumatra, Pakar UGM Sebut Akibat Kerusakan Ekosistem Hutan di Hulu DAS. In Universitas Gajah Mada. https://ugm.ac.id/id/berita/bencana-banjir-bandang-sumatra-pakar-ugm-sebut-akibat-kerusakan-ekosistem-hutan-di-hulu-das/
Akib, A., & Limbong, T. (2024). Effect of anemia in pregnant women on the incidence of premature labor and low birth weight. Jurnal Ilmiah Kesehatan Sandi Husada, 13(2), 427–433. https://doi.org/10.35816/jiskh.v13i2.1241
Ariandini, S., Ramadani, F. N., Khairunnissa, D., & Putri, F. A. (2023). Edukasi Pencegahan Anemia Pada Ibu Hamil Dengan Pemberian Tablet Fe. Jurnal Abdi Mahosada, 1(1), 24–27. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.54107/abdimahosada.v1i1.150.
Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana. (2025). Empat Kabupaten di Sumatera Utara Dilanda Bencana Banjir dan Longsor Secara Bersamaan. https://www.bnpb.go.id/berita/empat-kabupaten-di-sumatera-utara-dilanda-bencana-banjir-dan-longsor-secara-bersamaan
Berk, S. S., Hansu, K., & Akman, O. (2026). Evaluation of anxiety levels and stress coping methods of pregnant women after the Kahramanmaras ̧ earthquake. 1–12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1778774
Cynthia, M., Wijayanti, B., Widjanarko, B., & Indraswari, R. (2022). Perilaku Kepatuhan Konsumsi Tablet Tambah Darah pada Ibu Hamil yang Mengalami Anemia di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Bener Kabupaten Purworejo. MEDIA KESEHATAN MASYARAKAT INDONESIA, 21(5), 321–328. https://doi.org/10.14710/mkmi.21.5.321-328
Daerah, D. I., & Palang, P. (2022). Kualitas makanan ibu hamil dengan kejadian anemia di daerah pesisir (palang). Jurnal Ilmu Kesehatan Mandira Cendikia, 4(8), 216–223. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.70570/jikmc.v4i8.1857.
DetikNews. (2025). 5 Lokasi Pembalakan Liar yang Diduga Picu Banjir Sumatera Disegel ! https://news.detik.com/berita/d-8247287/5-lokasi-pembalakan-liar-yang-diduga-picu-banjir-sumatera-disegel
Dewi, A., Wirasto, A., & Dewi, T. S. (2024). Unnes Journal of Public Health Pregnant Women ’ s Experiences Using a Mobile Application for Iron Supplementation Adherence : A Phenomenological Approach. Unnes Journal of Public Health, 13(2). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.15294/ ujph.v13i2.2758
Dewi, R., & Dewi, M. K. M. S. M. (2024). Hubungan Dukungan Keluarga, Pola Makan Dan Budaya Dengan Kejadian Anemia Pada Ibu Hamil. Juenal Penelitian Perawat Profesional, 6, 2197–2206. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.37287/jppp.v6i5.3337
Febriyanti, H., Ifayanti, H., Sari, F. Y., Susanti, R., Dewi, M. P., Sari, E. Y., & Caroline, S. V. (2025). Edukasi Tentang Anemia Pada Ibu Hamil. Jurnal Pengabdian Sosial, 2(10), 4568–4574. https://doi.org/10.59837/y9tqnd07
Fonda, Y., Suryantara, B., & Hanifa, F. N. (2024). Dampak Bencana Banjir Terhadap Kesehatan Ibu Hamil dan Anak- Anak Di Desa Kemang Kelurahan Pangkalan Kuras Kabupaten. Jurnal Pengabdian Sosial, 1(7), 644–647. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.59837/9p041a49
Goel, R., Tarpenning, M. S., Ansar, J., Ansariadi, A., Puteri, Z., Syahrani, A., Anggraeni, N., Coombe, K. D., Weber, W., Blythe, E., Ansariadi, A., & Rosser, J. I. (2026). Maternal and child health challenges during and after flooding : a qualitative study in Makassar , Indonesia. BMC Public Health, 2–18. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-28076-8
Keleş, M., & Toker, E. (2025). Experience of pregnant women living in temporary shelters post-earthquake: a phenomenological study. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07994-2
Khobibah, Ana, M. R. ; T. S. ; H. R. ; B. A., & Isharyanti, S. ; S. S. ; S. (2023). Pelayanan Kesehatan Pada Korban Banjir Sebagai Upaya Rehabilitasi Pasca Bencana. Jurnal LINK, 19(2), 69–74. https://doi.org/10.31983/link.v19i2.9137
Markolinda, Y., Ramadani, M., Augia, T., Novirsa, R., & Elda, F. (2025). Pemberdayaan Kelompok Rentan Pasca Banjir Bandang Melalui Edukasi Kesehatan Dan Pengelolaan Lingkungan Di Nagari Pandai Sikek Empowerment Of Vulnerable Groups After Flash Flood Through Health Education and Environmental Management in Pandai Sikek Village. Buletin Ilmiah Nagari Membangun, 8(3), 436–446. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.25077/bina.v8i3.669.
Meilani, E., Rachmannur, A. D., Firani, D., Kusumawardhaeny, P. R., & Nita Pujianti, S. Farm., Apt., M. P. . (2023). Pencegahan dan Penaganan Penyakit Hipertensi (A. D. Fauzi (ed.); Cetakan Pe). CV Cakrawala Satria Mandiri.
Oskorouchi, H. R., Nie, P., & Sousa-poza, A. (2018). The effect of floods on anemia among reproductive age women in Afghanistan. PLOS ONE, 13(2), 1–15. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0191726
Partash, N., Naghipour, B., Hesam, S., Pashaei, Y., Arjmand, A., Ashegvatan, A., & Faridaalaee, G. (2022). The impact of flood on pregnancy outcomes : A review article. Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 61(1), 10–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjog.2021.11.005
Rachman, N. ., & Andayani, D. . (2021). Pengelolaan Gizi Bencana Pada Ibu Hamil Dan Ibu Menyusui. Ijcnp (Indonesian Journal Of Clinical Nutrition Physician).
Rahayu, B. Z., & Yulastini, F. (2026). Dampak Bencana Alam terhadap Kesehatan Reproduksi dan Perinatal. Jurnal Ilmu Kedokteran dan Kesehatan Indonesia, 6(1), 236–244. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.55606/jikki.v6i1.9136
Ramadhan, A. K., Danianto, A., & Cholidah, R. (2023). Jurnal Biologi Tropis Anemia in Pregnancy : Cause and Effect. Jurnal Biologi Tropis, 23(1). https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.29303/jbt.v23i1.6074 Anemia
Safajou, F., Nahidi, F., & Ahmadi, F. (2024). Reproductive health challenges during a flood : A qualitative study. Empirical Research Qualitative, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.2044
Seidu, H., Gaa, P. K., & Mogre, V. (2024). Adherence to Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation Among Pregnant Women From Northern Ghana. Nutrition and Metabolic Insights Volume, 17, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1177/11786388231218664
Septi Indah Permata Sari Dewi Septiana. (2025). UPAYA PENCEGAHAN ANEMIA PADA IBU HAMIL DI PMB DINCE SYAFRINA RUMBAI PEKANBARU. Jurnal Ebima, 6(1), 8–10.
Suzuki, S., Sato, N., & Miyazak, M. (2024). Maternal experiences of pregnant women affected by natural disasters: A modified grounded theory approach. Nursing & Healt Sciencess. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.13135
Ünsel-bolat, G., Yıldırım, S., & Kılıçaslan, F. (2024). Natural Disasters as a Maternal Prenatal Stressor and Children ’ s Neurodevelopment : A Systematic Review. Behavioral Sciences, 1–24. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14111054.
Yalniz Dilcen H, Çakır Koçak Y, Ada G, Demir Bozkurt F, D. H. (2024). Determinants of psychosocial health sta-tus in pregnant and postpartum women experiencing earthquake in Turkey. Disaster Med Public Health Prep, 18(6). https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2024.11
Yamamoto, K., Takita, M., Kami, M. et al. (2022). Changes in the proportion of anemia among young women after the Great East Japan Earthquake: the Fukushima health management survey. Sci Rep. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-14992-3.
Yanti, R., Yusuf, K., & Wahyuni, F. (2022). FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG BERHUBUNGAN DENGAN KEPATUHAN KONSUMSI TABLET FE PADA IBU HAMIL DI KOTA MAK. JURNAL Promotif Preventif, 4(2), 133–140.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Dewi Aminasty Siregar, Herawati Harahap, Rahmat Rizki Siregar, Wiwi Wardani Tanjung, Rosmainun Rosmainun, Dewi Arjuna Putri Pan Harahap
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
