Risk factors associated with malaria infection among pregnant women of African Descent in Specialist Hospital Sokoto, Nigeria

Abstract

Abbreviations: LLINs, long-lasting insecticide-treated nets; IRS, indoor residual spraying; IPTp, intermittent preventive therapy for pregnant women; ACT, artemisinin-based combination therapy; LLITNs, long-lasting insecticide-treated nets; WHO, World Health Organization; ITNs, insecticide-treated nets; IPTp-SP, intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine during pregnancy; SP, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine Introduction An estimated 30 million women living in malaria endemic areas of Africa become pregnant each year. 1 Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to malaria because pregnancy reduces immunity to malaria and increases susceptibility to malaria infection. Pregnant women are three times more predisposed to malarial infection compared with their non-pregnant counterparts, and have a mortality rate that approaches 50%. 2 Malaria in pregnancy is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes in the mother, her foetus and the newborn. 3 It has several negative including; maternal anaemia, low birth weight, Malaria in pregnancy is associated with severe anaemia, acute pulmonary oedema, renal failure, puerperal sepsis, postpartum haemorrhage and increased risk of death. Malaria in pregnancy is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as spontaneous abortion, neonatal death, low birth weight, poor development, behavioural problems, short stature, neurological deficits. 4 In 2013, there were approximately 198 million cases and 584,000 deaths. 5 It was estimated that one death occurs each 30 seconds with Abstract Background: Malaria in pregnancy is a major contributor to adverse maternal and prenatal outcome. In hyper endemic areas like ours, it is a common cause of anaemia in pregnancy and is aggravated by poor socioeconomic circumstance. This study evaluated the socio-demographic risk factors associated with malaria infection among Pregnant Women of African Descent in Specialist Hospital Sokoto, Nigeria.