Intestinal parasitic infections among pregnant women in Venezuela.
BACKGROUND
Intestinal parasitic infections, especially due to helminths, increase anemia in pregnant women. The results of this are low pregnancy weight gain and IUGR, followed by LBW, with its associated greater risks of infection and higher perinatal mortality rates. For these reasons, in the setting of no large previous studies in Venezuela about this problem, a national multicentric study was conducted.


METHODS
Pregnant women from nine states were studied, a prenatal evaluation with a coproparasitological study. Univariated and multivariated analyses were made to determine risk factors for intestinal parasitosis and related anemia.


RESULTS
During 19 months, 1038 pregnant women were included and evaluated. Intestinal parasitosis was evidenced in 73.9%: A lumbricoides 57.0%, T trichiura 36.0%, G lamblia 14.1%, E hystolitica 12.0%, N americanus 8.1%, E vermicularis 6.3%, S stercoralis 3.3%. Relative risk for anemia in those women with intestinal parasitosis was 2.56 (P < .01).


CONCLUSIONS
Intestinal parasitoses could be associated with conditions for development of anemia at pregnancy. These features reflect the need of routine coproparasitological study among pregnant women in rural and endemic zones for intestinal parasites. Further therapeutic and prophylactic protocols are needed. Additional research on pregnant intestinal parasitic infection impact on newborn health is also considered.
Rodríguez-Morales
Alfonso J
AJ
Environmental Health, Ministry of Health, Carupano, Sucre, Venezuela.
Barbella
Rosa A
RA
Case
Cynthia
C
Arria
Melissa
M
Ravelo
Marisela
M
Perez
Henry
H
Urdaneta
Oscar
O
Gervasio
Gloria
G
Rubio
Nestor
N
Maldonado
Andrea
A
Aguilera
Ymora
Y
Viloria
Anna
A
Blanco
Juan J
JJ
Colina
Magdary
M
Hernández
Elizabeth
E
Araujo
Elianet
E
Cabaniel
Gilberto
G
Benitez
Jesús
J
Rifakis
Pedro
P
D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D000818:Animals; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D009348:Nematoda / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009349:Nematode Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D015995:Prevalence; D011528:Protozoan Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D012307:Risk Factors; D014687:Venezuela / Q000453:epidemiology