title: Intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine against malaria and anemia in pregnant women.
abstract: The effectiveness of intermittent preventive treatment during pregnancy with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) against malaria and anemia is unclear because of the spread of SP-resistant Plasmodium falciparum. This study evaluates the effectiveness of IPTp-SP among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana. A cross-sectional study comparing malaria and anemia prevalence among pregnant women using IPTp-SP with non-IPTp-SP users was conducted during June-August 2009. A total of 363 pregnant women (202 of IPTp users and 161 non-IPTp users) were recruited. A total of 15.3% of IPTp users had malaria compared with 44.7% of non-IPTp users (P < 0.001). A total of 58.4% of non-IPTp users were anemic compared with 22.8% of IPTp users (P < 0.001). When we controlled for other variables, the difference in the prevalence of malaria (odds ratio = 0.18, 95% confidence interval = 0.08-0.37) and anemia (odds ratio = 0.20, 95% confidence interval = 0.12-0.34) remained significant. The recommended IPTp-SP regimen is useful in preventing malaria and anemia among pregnant women in Ghana.
authors: Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30310, USA. nwilson@msm.edu
authors: Nana O
authors: NO
authors: Wilson
authors: Fatou K
authors: FK
authors: Ceesay
authors: Samuel A
authors: SA
authors: Obed
authors: Andrew A
authors: AA
authors: Adjei
authors: Richard K
authors: RK
authors: Gyasi
authors: Patricia
authors: P
authors: Rodney
authors: Yassa
authors: Y
authors: Ndjakani
authors: Winston A
authors: WA
authors: Anderson
authors: Naomi W
authors: NW
authors: Lucchi
authors: Jonathan K
authors: JK
authors: Stiles
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013413:Sulfadoxine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D004338:Drug Combinations; C001205:fanasil, pyrimethamine drug combination; D013413:Sulfadoxine; D011739:Pyrimethamine