title: Malaria among pregnant women in Abeokuta, Nigeria.
abstract: Pregnant women were enrolled from two hospitals and a Traditional Birth Home (TBH) in Abeokuta, Nigeria and monitored monthly for malaria parasites from the first antenatal visit until delivery. A total of 466 pregnant women were recruited for the study. The prevalence of malaria was 57.4%, and was higher among women in the TBH. The prevalence of malaria in the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy were 37.5%, 47.3% and 47.5% respectively. At the time of the first antenatal visit 35.6% of the women were already parasitaemic, with a high frequency observed among primigravids. The prevalence recorded in the ninth month of pregnancy (35.7%) was not statistically different from that recorded at first antenatal visit (P > 0.05). The need to improve the quality of care, malaria prevention and treatment given to pregnant women especially receiving antenatal care outside the hospital is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Agriculture, P.M.B. 2240, Abeokuta, Nigeria. etidowu@yahoo.com
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Idowu
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Mafiana
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dapo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003696:Delivery Rooms; D005260:Female; D006700:Home Childbirth; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011264:Pregnancy Trimesters; D011295:Prenatal Care; D015995:Prevalence