ABSTRACT
The prevalence of malaria parasitemia at booking was studied in 1,848 pregnant women in a secondary hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria. Main outcome variables were patent parasitemia and fever. 8.4% had patent malaria parasitaemia. Most clients (89%) with parasitemia were asymptomatic. Febrile subjects booked at an earlier gestational age [22.7 versus 24.2 weeks] than afebrile patients (p = 0.0052). Anemia was more prevalent among patients with patent parasitemia than those without (58.1% versus 22.6%, p<0.0001). Malaria parasitaemia was higher among nulliparous women than other parity groups (p<0.0001). Symptomatic malaria was associated with early booking for antenatal care and malaria parasitemia was a significant determinant of anemia. The prevalence of malaria parasitaemia in this study is much lower than in previous reports. (Afr J Reprod Health 2008; 12[2]:141-152)