Background. A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2019 to March 2020 to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) among pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) at Yifag Health Center. Methods. The data were collected by a questionnaire interview technique and collecting the stool samples from each pregnant woman. Wet-mount and formol-ether concentration techniques were applied to identify the IPIs. Data were analyzed using SPSS, version 25, and P -values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results. Out of the total 280 pregnant women who were selected using a simple random sampling technique, 277 participated in the questionnaire survey and gave stool samples (a response rate of 98.9%). The prevalence of IPIs among pregnant women was 53.4% (95% CI: 47.37, 59.42). Taenia species (18.1%) was the predominant parasite followed by Giardia lamblia (12.6%), Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (9.4%), hookworms (9%), Ascaris lumbricoides (4%), Schistosoma mansoni (3.2%), Hymenolepis nana (0.7%), Strongyloides stercoralis (0.4%), and Enterobius vermicularis (0.4%). Eating raw vegetables (AOR = 2.721; 95% CI: 1.266, 5.849; P = 0.010 ) and poor personal hygiene (AOR = 4.015; 95% CI: 1.456, 11.07; P = 0.007 ) were associated risk factors for G. lamblia, while eating raw meat (AOR = 2.477; 95% CI: 1.252, 4.902; P = 0.009 ) for Taenia species infections. The prevalence of intestinal parasites was high and still a health burden to the pregnant women in the study area. We recommend avoiding eating raw meat, strengthening sanitation and hygiene programs, and routine deworming of pregnant mothers to reduce the burden of IPIs among pregnant women.

Background. Intestinal helminth infections are still public health problems in tropical and subtropical countries including Ethiopia. This review and meta-analysis aimed to produce the pooled prevalence and associated risk factors of human intestinal helminth parasitic infections (HIHPIs) in Ethiopia. Methods. Articles written in English were searched from online databases. Sixty-seven studies were included. Meta-analysis was computed using STATA version 14. Result. The pooled prevalence of HIHPIs was (33.35%, 95% CI: 28.85%, 37.86%). Ascaris lumbricoides (10.84%, 95% CI: 9.34, 12.34), hookworm spp. (8.89%, 95% CI: 7.75, 10.04), Schistosoma mansoni (4.22%, 95% CI: 3.64, 4.81), Trichuris trichiura (2.51%, 95% CI: 2.17, 2.86), Hymenolepis nana (2.29%, 95% CI: 1.96, 2.63), Taenia species (1.01%, 95% CI: 0.80, 1.22), Strongyloides stercoralis (1.17%, 95% CI: 0.92, 1.41), and Enterobius vermicularis(0.71%, 95% CI: 0.52, 0.90) were recorded. Handwashing before food (OR: 5.22,95% CI: 3.49, 6.94), handwashing after toilet (OR: 3.03, 95%; CI: 1.01, 5.05), age (OR: 1.66, 95% CL. 1.09, 2.23), open defecation (OR: 2.42, 95% CI: 1.60, 3.24), eating raw and unwashed vegetables/fruits (OR: 1.98, 95%; CI: 1.30, 2.66), maternal education (OR: 1.81, 95% CI: 0.91, 2.72), family income (OR: 2.00, 95% CI: 0.87, 3.31), source of drinking water (OR: 3.12, 95% CI: 1.96, 4.27), swimming/contact with river water (OR: 1.90, 95% CI: 1.11, 2.69), barefoot (OR: 3.28, 95% CI: 1.67, 4.88), playing with soil (OR: 2.64, 95% CI: 1.40, 3.88), and family size (OR: 3.75, 95% CI: 2.03, 5.46) were factors associated with HIHPIs in Ethiopia. High heterogeneity of the prevalence of HIHPIs was observed among the studies within and among regions (I2 > 99.6% and P ≤ 0.001 ). Conclusion. HIHPIs in Ethiopia were significantly high. Therefore, special attention should be given by all stakeholders to minimize HIHPIs in Ethiopia.