Incidence of Antenatal Malaria Parasitaemia and the Effect on the Haemoglobin Profile of Pregnant Women in Enugu East Local Government Area, Enugu, Nigeria

Jenavine O. Mbah¹, O. O. Njoku¹, Agwu U. Nnachi^2, , Ijem A. Nnachi¹ and Amaechi J. Nwinyimagu³

¹Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria

²Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi Campus, Nigeria

³Department of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ebonyi State, Abakaliki, Nigeria

Cite this paper:
Jenavine O. Mbah, O. O. Njoku, Agwu U. Nnachi, Ijem A. Nnachi and Amaechi J. Nwinyimagu. Incidence of Antenatal Malaria Parasitaemia and the Effect on the Haemoglobin Profile of Pregnant Women in Enugu East Local Government Area, Enugu, Nigeria. American Journal of Epidemiology and Infectious Disease. 2015; 3(5):88-94. doi: 10.12691/ajeid-3-5-1

Abstract

Maternal morbidity and mortality has been associated with anaemia in pregnancy and is the cause of low birth weight in infants and other complications. The contribution of malaria infection to maternal anaemia in pregnancy has been well-documented in most other countries. This study, therefore, investigated the incidence of antenatal malaria parasitaemia and haemoglobin profile of pregnant women in Enugu East Local Government Area, Enugu, Nigeria. Seven hundred (700) capillary blood samples were collected from women that were made up of 210 primiparae, 390 multiparae and 100 non-pregnant (that served as the control group), and tested for presence of malaria parasites and haemoglobin profile using microscopy and a portable β-haemoglobin photometer (HamoCue, Hemo Cue AB, Angelholm, Sweden) respectively. The result showed that majority of the malaria positive participants were anaemic with haemoglobin (HB) below 11g/dl. There were more positive cases among primigravidae (first pregnancy) and there were also downward gradation in the intensity of malaria from primiparae to control group. Prevalence of malaria parasitaemia was found to be 55.56% at Annunciation hospital and 60.06% at Park lane hospital which was higher than prevalence of 22.00% and 16.00%% among non pregnant women used as control. The results showed a significant difference (P<0.05) between the primigravidae, and multigravidae (more pregnancies). Women between the age ranges of 18 – 28 were most infected. The findings of this study have proven that primiparae have high susceptibility to malaria in endemic regions. Also, anaemia was associated with malaria in pregnancy. There is need to intensify effort in malaria prevention on pregnant women. Educational campaign is recommended at all levels to improve the awareness of malaria and preventive measures. Attack on malaria by provision of access to effective treatment and reduction of access with the vector is as well recommended.

Keywords:
intensity pregnancy primigravidae multigravidae parasitaemia malaria anaemia

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