Anaemia in pregnancy: Plasmodium falciparum infection is an important cause in primigravidae in Hoima district, western Uganda.
Infection with Plasmodium falciparum is a major cause of anaemia in pregnancy, especially in primigravidae. Of 853 primigravidae visiting an antenatal clinic in Hoima district, western Uganda, for the first time, 530 (62.1%) were found to have P. falciparum parasitaemias and 305 (57.5%) of these had at least 1000 parasites/microliter blood. Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia was significantly associated with anaemia (relative risk = 0.84, with 95% confidence limits = 0.74-0.96; P = 0.01). Malarial parasites were detected in > 80% of the women who had severe anaemia (P = 0.0008) and haemoglobin concentrations decreased with increasing intensity of infection (P = 0.03). Malarial hyper-reactive splenomegaly was associated with high parasite density (P = 0.01) and low haemoglobin level (P < 0.0001). Effective measures aimed at prevention of malaria and anaemia in pregnancy, especially in primigravidae, would significantly reduce anaemia and its deleterious effects on both the mother and the baby.
Ndyomugyenyi
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Vector Control Division, Kampala, Uganda.
Magnussen
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P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D006441:Hemoglobin A / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000150:complications*; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000150:complications; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000097:blood*; D012621:Seasons; D013163:Splenomegaly / Q000469:parasitology
D006441:Hemoglobin A