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High prevalence of malaria in pregnancy among women attending antenatal care at a large referral hospital in northwestern Uganda: A cross-sectional study.
Mangusho, Caleb; Mwebesa, Edson; Izudi, Jonathan; Aleni, Mary; Dricile, Ratib; Ayiasi, Richard M; Legason, Ismail D.
  • Mangusho C; Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health Sciences, Muni University, Arua, Uganda.
  • Mwebesa E; Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, Muni University, Arua, Uganda.
  • Izudi J; Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda.
  • Aleni M; Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health Sciences, Muni University, Arua, Uganda.
  • Dricile R; Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Muni University, Arua, Uganda.
  • Ayiasi RM; Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Muni University, Arua, Uganda.
  • Legason ID; Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Muni University, Arua, Uganda.
PLoS One ; 18(4): e0283755, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2270672
ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Malaria in pregnancy contributes to substantial morbidity and mortality among women in Uganda. However, there is limited information on the prevalence and factors associated with malaria in pregnancy among women in Arua district, northwestern Uganda. We, therefore, assessed the prevalence and factors associated with malaria in pregnancy among women attending routine antenatal care (ANC) clinics at Arua regional referral hospital in north-western Uganda.

METHODS:

We conducted an analytic cross-sectional study between October and December 2021. We used a paper-based structured questionnaire to collect data on maternal socio-demographic and obstetric factors and malaria preventive measures. Malaria in pregnancy was defined as a positive rapid malarial antigen test during ANC visits. We performed a modified Poisson regression analysis with robust standard errors to determine factors independently associated with malaria in pregnancy, reported as adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS:

We studied 238 pregnant women with a mean age of 25.32±5.79 years that attended the ANC clinic, all without symptomatic malaria. Of the participants, 173 (72.7%) were in their second or third trimester, 117 (49.2%) were first or second-time pregnant women, and 212 (89.1%) reported sleeping under insecticide-treated bednets (ITNs) every day. The prevalence of malaria in pregnancy was 26.1% (62/238) by rapid diagnostic testing (RDT), with the independently associated factors being daily use of insecticide-treated bednets (aPR 0.41, 95% CI 0.28, 0.62), first ANC visit after 12 weeks of gestation (aPR1.78, 95% CI 1.05, 3.03), and being in the second or third trimester (aPR 0.45, 95% CI 0.26, 0.76).

CONCLUSION:

The prevalence of malaria in pregnancy among women attending ANC in this setting is high. We recommend the provision of insecticide-treated bednets to all pregnant women and early ANC attendance to enable access to malaria preventive therapy and related interventions.
Subject(s)

Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Malaria Type of study: Diagnostic study / Observational study / Qualitative research / Randomized controlled trials Limits: Adult / Female / Humans / Pregnancy / Young adult Country/Region as subject: Africa Language: English Journal: PLoS One Journal subject: Science / Medicine Year: 2023 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Journal.pone.0283755

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Malaria Type of study: Diagnostic study / Observational study / Qualitative research / Randomized controlled trials Limits: Adult / Female / Humans / Pregnancy / Young adult Country/Region as subject: Africa Language: English Journal: PLoS One Journal subject: Science / Medicine Year: 2023 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Journal.pone.0283755