Association Between Malaria Parasite Density in Pregnancy and Fetal Birth Weight in a University Teaching Hospital

Malaria in pregnancy is an obstetric, social and medical problem requiring multidisciplinary and multidimensional solution. In Africa, perinatal mortality due to malaria is at about 1500/day. In areas where malaria is endemic, 20-40% of all babies born may have complications of malaria.In this Prospective study, two hundred (200) consenting pregnant women who were attending antenatal clinic in a University Teaching hospital who met the inclusion criteria were recruited for the study. Malaria parasitaemia were examined using Giemsa staining of the thick and thin blood films and WBC by coulter automated cell count and QBC centrifugal haematology system. Other parameters (fetal birth weight, gestational age, parity, maternal age) were also documented. The result showed a strongly positive correlation(r =0.7258) and statistically significant (p<0.05) decrease in birth weight for mild (3.29±0.07kg), moderate (2.86±1.33kg) and severe (2.17±0.213kg)parasitamia in primigravida and mild (3.43±0.05kg), moderate (3.12±0.05kg) and severe (2.92±0.21kg) in multigravida.Also found is that the average birth weight in primigravida (2.85±0.158kg) is lower than that of multigravida (3.07±0.039kg). It is therefore, recommended that malaria screening should form part of routine antenatal investigations in malaria endemic regions to prevent the problems associated with low birth weight.