The Status of Malaria among Pregnant Women: A Study in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

A study was carried out on the status of malaria among 800 randomly selected pregnant women in Lagos State, Nigeria. Blood samples were obtained from finger pricking and tested for malaria parasites in thin blood films and 60% prevalence of malaria parasites was obtained. Interviews were conducted and structured questionnaires were administered to the pregnant women to obtain information on the clinical and social aspects of malaria. Results show that primigravidae accounted for a greater part of the 60% prevalence of malaria that affected mainly women in their 1st to 3rd month of pregnancy. The ages of the infected women ranged from 30 to 39 years (77%). Women with blood groups A and O had the highest prevalence of malaria, but there was no statistically significant difference between them and the uninfected women. Women with genotype AA had the highest prevalence of malaria, while pregnant women in Ikeja division had the highest incidence of malaria (41.7%). Majority of the infected women believed that mosquito bites and stress were responsible for their infection. Only 21.8% of the women did not associate mosquitoes with malaria. All the women were familiar with the symptoms of malaria but did not see it as a serious disease that could lead to death. Most of the women used bed nets but not the impregnated brands. There is need to educate women, especially during antenatal visits, on the severity of malaria and the risk of their susceptibility to it during pregnancy. RÉSUMÉLe statut du paludisme chez les femmes enceintes: une étude effectuée à Lagos, Nigéria. Nous avons mené une étude sur le statut du paludisme chez 800 femmes enceintes dans l'Etat de Lagos qui ont été selectionnées au hasard. Dés échantillons du sang ont été prélevés à travers la figure de droigt et ont été analysés pour déterminer la présence des parasites du paludisme dans de frottis de sang fluide. Nous avons obtenu 60% de la prévalence des parasites du paludisme. Des interviews ont été organisées et nous avons administré des questionnaires structurés auprès des femmes enceintes pour obtenir des renseignements sur des aspects cliniques et sociaux du paludisme. Les résultats ont montré qu'une plus grande partie de la 60% de prévalence du paludsme qui a atteint surtout les femmes entre le premier et le troisieme mois de grossesse étaient des primigravidae. La plus haute prévalence du paludisme était trouvée chez les femmes qui appartenaient aux groupes sanguins A et O, mais il n'y avait pas de différence importante du point de vue statistiques entre elles et les femmes qui n'ont pas été atteintes. Les femmes qui avaient le génotype AA avaient la plus haute prévalence alors que les femmes de la région d'Ikeja avaient la plus haute prévalence du paludisme (41,7%). La majorité des femmes atteintes ont cru que la piqure par les moustiques et le stress en étaient responsables de leur infection. Seules 21.8% des femmes qui n'ont pas lié les moustiques au paludisme. Toutes les femmes connaissaient bien les symptômes du paludisme mais ne le...

Malaria parasitaemia among long distance truck drivers in the Niger delta of Nigeria

“…Table 1 shows the mean values of CD4, parasite load, and age of subjects , and 39.2% in Kano to 60% in Lagos 10 . Similarly, another study 11 among Antenatal clients (ANCs) from a peri-urban community in Lagos reported a 44.2% prevalence of asymptomatic malaria at booking among primgravidae attending a Primary Health Care (PHC) facility, which was significantly lower than 33.6% prevalence found among multigravidae 12 . A case control study in Nnewi, Nigeria among pregnant and non pregnant women observed a prevalence of parasitaemia of 79.3% among pregnant women and 31.5% among non pregnant controls 13 .…”

Malaria, a Pending Problem in Sub-Saharan Africa

“…falciparium causes severe complications as cerebral malaria, severe anaemia, acute renal failure, hypoglycemia and pulmonary infection. The two features that actually separate P. falciparium from the other human malaria are the ability to attack erythrocytes of all ages, causing high parasitaemia and enhanced growth and the capability to adhere to vascular endothelium through sequestration [2].…”

“…Pregnancy exacerbates malaria through a nonspecific hormone-dependent depression of the Immune system. The protective antiplasmodial activity is suppressed at pregnancy, which has clinical consequences with important public health implications on pregnant women [2]. Malaria accounts for 6.5% of abortions, 15% of premature deliveries and 0.7% death in utero [3].…”

“…Malaria infection leads to increased morbidity and mortality and the delivery of premature infants with low birth weights due to intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) that may have been as a result of placental parasitisation [2]. Malaria infection in pregnancy is significant in www.intechopen.com sub -Saharan Africa where its fatality as a result of virulent P. falciparium is a far greater problem than in most parts of the world [4].…”

Effect of a Nurse-Led Health Talk on Malaria Prevention Behaviors among Primigravida Women Attending University of Jos Health Centre, Plateau State

“…5 Primigravida accounted for a greater part of the 60% prevalence of malaria that affected mainly women in their first trimester of pregnancy, and the age range of the infected women is 30-39 years. 6 Pregnancy women are more attractive to mosquitoes and the malaria-parasite densities are also higher in them. 7 Pregnancy increases the frequency and severity of most of infectious diseases and its effect on malaria is worse because of the physiological changes that take place during pregnancy leading to compromised cellular immune responses which, ordinarily, should offer protection against malaria.…”