Background: Malaria
infestation in pregnancy is a major public
health concern and ranks amongst the commonest complications of
pregnancy in Nigeria. Approximately 50,000 Nigerian women die each year from
largely preventable pregnancy related complications. Intermittent preventive
therapy for malaria in pregnancy (IPTp) is a key recommendation in the National
guideline for malaria treatment in Nigeria. This study assessed the
prescription pattern of intermittent preventive therapy with Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine for pregnant women among doctors practicing in 68 Nigerian Army Reference
Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. Methods: This
was a retrospective study using case notes of pregnant women seen at
antenatal clinic of 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria
from January, 2008 to December, 2008. A total of 336 case notes were reviewed.
The findings were precoded, data entry and
analysis was done using EPI INFO 2002. Results: A good proportion of the
women (82.9%) booked for antenatal clinic within the first and second
trimesters of pregnancy. Most commonly prescribed by doctors was the weekly
pyrimethamine (daraprim) for malaria prophylaxis in pregnancy (100.0%). Very
few doctors prescribed intermittent preventive therapy with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, and the few who did
prescribed just one dose. Conclusion: The study showed a very low level of prescription of IPTp among doctors practicing at 68 Nigerian Army Reference
Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. There is a great need for training of these doctors
and other health professionals on the recommendations of the current National
Antimalarial Treatment Guidelines.
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