title: Plasmodium falciparum infection in pregnant women attending antenatal care in Luanda, Angola.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malaria during pregnancy remains a serious public health problem. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence and possible risk factors for malaria in pregnant women attending antenatal care at Augusto Ngangula Specialized General Hospital in Luanda, Angola.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pregnant women (679 total) who attended antenatal care from April to September 2008 were included in the study after signing informed consent. For each participant, the social-demographic profile and malaria and obstetric histories were investigated via a questionnaire. Diagnosis was made by optic microscopy, and hemoglobin concentration measured. The associations between age, parity, gestational age, residence, schooling, malaria during gravity, anemia and treatment with incidence of Plasmodium falciparum infection were analyzed through logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the period of study, 74 (10.9%) out of 679 women were infected by P. falciparum. The average concentration of hemoglobin was 11.1 ± 0.07 g/dL, and there were significant associations between the history of malaria during pregnancy, P. falciparum infection (p<0.01) and anemia at the time of observation (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Previous history of malaria during pregnancy represents a risk factor for current infection and anemia was an important complication associated with malaria, even in women who were treated with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine during pregnancy.
authors: Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal. paulocampos44@gmail.com
authors: Paulo Adão
authors: PA
authors: Campos
authors: Bianor
authors: B
authors: Valente
authors: Rosa Bessa
authors: RB
authors: Campos
authors: Luzia
authors: L
authors: Gonçalves
authors: Virgílio Estóliodo
authors: VE
authors: Rosário
authors: Luís
authors: L
authors: Varandas
authors: Henrique
authors: H
authors: Silveira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000810:Angola / Q000453:epidemiology; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013413:Sulfadoxine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D004338:Drug Combinations; C001205:fanasil, pyrimethamine drug combination; D013413:Sulfadoxine; D011739:Pyrimethamine