Prevalence of malaria among pregnant mothers and possible relationship to parity in Abakaliki, Southeast Nigeria

The study on the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum infection among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki was conducted using microscopic examination of thick smear. A total of 312 pregnant women were tested for P. falciparum with 131 (42.00%) of the pregnant women testing positive for the P.falciparum parasite. They were grouped within the three trimesters of pregnancy viz: First, Second and Third trimester respectively. In the first trimester group, 31, were examined of which 15 (41.7%) were infected. Also 138 were examined in the second trimester of which 60 (43.5%) were infected, and in the third trimester 138 were examined of which 56 (40.6%) were positive with P. falciparum infection. They were also studied with regard to their parity. The primigravidae (Po were 76 and 32 (40.8%) were positive; P1-P3 were 56, 27 (45.8%) were infected, P7-P11 were 17, 7 (36.8%) were infected. Statistical analysis showed no significant differences between the three trimester and parity groups measured (P<0.05). The problem of P. falciparum in pregnant women can be prevented by the preventive package of Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) with Sulfadoxine Pyrimethamine (SP) at 2 doses given to the pregnant women during their antenatal clinical visits. The use of insecticide treated nets (ITNs) all through the period of pregnancy and the first few weeks after delivery, and effective case management of malaria illness is recommended