TU Agan
Prevalence of anemia in women with asymptomatic malaria parasitemia at first antenatal care visit at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria
anemia pregnancy malaria endemic areas public health challenge contributed either directly indirectly maternal morbidity mortality environment anemia malaria pregnancy highly preventable treatablethe aim study assess prevalence anemia asymptomatic malaria parasitemic women first antenatal visit tertiary hospital facilitythe study conducted antenatal clinic university calabar teaching hospital calabar nigeria threemonth period five hundred fortyfive pregnant women recruited obtaining informed consent structured questionnaire administered participant two thin thick blood films used identify malaria parasites estimate density average two packed cell volumes booking determined using two capillary tubes read hawksleys microhematocrit readera total 545 pregnant women participated study mean ages primigravidas multigravidas 214 31 243 40 years two hundred ninety 532 primigravidas 255 468 multigravidas parasite density primigravidas 1297 1234 multigravidas 661 497 77 p 0001 prevalence anemia study population 596 statistically significant difference prevalence anemia among primigravidas 603 multigravidas 588 2 13 p 008 statistically significant association severity parasitemia degree anemia 2 4411 p 0001 statistically significant association antimalarials use booking severity parasitemia 2 3652 p 0001anemia first antenatal booking significantly associated malaria parasitemia routine screening anemia malaria parasites booking prompt parasite clearance use intermittent preventive treatment ipt pregnancy correction anemia reduce prevalence malaria related anemia obstetric complications associated