Factors Associated With Asymptomatic Malaria Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic At Ridge Regional Hospital Accra, Ghana

ABSTRACT

Background: Asymptomatic malaria increases the risk of anaemia, stillbirths, spontaneous abortion, premature delivery and low birth weight. The asymptomatic nature of individuals with malaria has led to difficulties in diagnosing, inconsistencies in defining and a general lack of urgency to investigate this particular disease outcome and is a major hurdle for malaria elimination, as infected hosts serve as silent reservoirs for transmission of malaria. This study was aimed at identifying factors associated with asymptomatic malaria infection in pregnant women in Ridge Regional Hospital Accra, Ghana. Methods: A total of 400 asymptomatic pregnant women were enrolled using simple random approach. Demographic information and malaria prevention practices were obtained using a structured questionnaire. About 2ml of blood was obtained from a peripheral blood vessel for Microscopy to determine parasitaemia, species and parasite density. Chi square test and logistic regression analysis were used to compare factors associated with malaria in the pregnant women. Results: The prevalence of malaria using peripheral blood from the 400 pregnant women who participated in the study by microscopy was 5.5%. Plasmodium falciparum parasite were seen in 95.5% of the cases while Plasmodium malariae accounted for the remaining 4.5%. Age, gravidity, education level, gestation, IPT-sp use and ITN use were not significantly associated with malaria infection (p≥0.05). Conclusion: Malaria prevalence was low among the pregnant women studied. Age, gravidity, education level, occupation, gestation, IPT-sp use and ITN use were not significantly associated with malaria infection (p≥0.05)