Malaria Prevalence Among Pregnant Women ‎Attending Kwadon Primary Health Care, Yamaltu-‎Deba Local Government Area, Gombe State, Nigeria

Background: Malaria infection, particularly during pregnancy, is a major public health concern in Nigeria, and there is a scarcity of data on it prevalence and scope in many areas, especially in remote villages that lack basic infrastructure and adequate health facilities for treating and managing the disease. The study which was conducted from June to December, ۲۰۲۱ and investigated the prevalence of malaria among pregnant women in some selected villages of Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area of Gombe State, Nigeria.Methods: ۳۸۴ consented pregnant women attending antenatal at Kwadon primary health clinic were enrolled. Vein puncture technique was used to collect venous blood and analysed microscopically using Gemsa staining technique. Plasmodium falciparum-malaria was detected using microscope with x۱۰۰ objective lens.Results: Malaria parasites were found in ۸۱(۲۱.۰۹%) of the ۳۸۴ samples collected, highest prevalence was documented from Wajari village. Malaria infection was not statistically linked with the respondents’ village (x۲=۵.۸۴۷, df=۴, P>۰.۰۵). Older pregnant women aged ۴۰-۴۵ years had the highest prevalence of ۲(۴۰.۰۰%), while subjects aged ۳۶-۴۰ years had the lowest prevalence of ۳۶.۰%. Malaria infection was not statistically associated with the subject’s age (x۲=۴.۸۱۶, df=۶, P>۰.۰۵). Subjects in first trimester and multigravida had the highest prevalence of ۰۲(۲۸.۵۷%) and ۶۳(۲۹.۵۷%) respectively. Statistically malaria infection was not associated with the pregnant women’s trimester (x۲=۰.۳۵۵, df=۲, P>۰.۰۵) and gravidity (x۲=۱.۸۲۵, df=۲, P>۰.۰۵).Conclusion: In conclusion, moderate level of malaria infection was recorded from the selected villages and older pregnant women suffer most from the disease

Keywords:

Trimester , Gravidity , age , Malaria , Yamaltu-Deba