Antenatal anthelmintic treatment, birthweight, and infant survival in rural Nepal.
Anthelmintic treatment, which is recommended during pregnancy in areas where there is a high rate of anaemia, needs further investigation. We examined prospectively the association between anthelmintic treatment and maternal anaemia, birthweight, and infant mortality in a study of prenatal supplements, in which women received albendazole twice during pregnancy. Women given albendazole in the second trimester of pregnancy had a lower rate of severe anaemia during the third trimester. Birthweight of infants of women who had received two doses of albendazole rose by 59 g (95% CI 19-98), and infant mortality at 6 months fell by 41% (RR 0.59; 95% CI 0.43-0.82). Antenatal anthelmintics could be effective in reducing maternal anaemia and improving birthweight and infant survival in hookworm-endemic regions.
Christian
Parul
P
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of International Health and Center for Human Nutrition, Baltimore, MD, USA. pchristi@jhsph.edu
Khatry
Subarna K
SK
West
Keith P
KP
D015766:Albendazole / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001724:Birth Weight; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006725:Hookworm Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000188:drug therapy; D011295:Prenatal Care
D000871:Anthelmintics; D006454:Hemoglobins; D015766:Albendazole