Prevalence of Malaria and Anaemia among Pregnant Women Attending the Ante Natal Clinic in A Tertiary Institution in South-West Nigeria

Abstract

Malaria is a major public health infection in tropical and subtropical regions within the world. Africa has the most malaria-endemic areas (Amadi and Nwankwo, 2012). Malaria is a serious infectious disease that mostly affects children under the age of five and pregnant women (Amadi and Nwankwo, 2012). Malaria raises the potential risk of low birth weight and child mortality in the first year of life, causing intrauterine retardation, premature birth, and anemia in infants (Aribodor et al., 2007). Past research has discovered a linkage among malaria and anemia, particularly in pregnant mothers and children. The component is known to be hemolysis of the erythrocytes because of Plasmodium infection, along with the resultant folate deficiency and hypersplenism (Ugwu et al., 2014). Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium knowlesi, Plasmodium ovale, and Plasmodium malariae are the species that cause malaria. Plasmodium falciparum is the most widespread and virulent parasite, and it is found throughout Africa, accounting for more than 95 percent of cases in Nigeria Plasmodium falciparum is the species that has given rise to the formidable drug-resistant strain in Asia (Amali et al., 2011). Malaria infection is most frequent in primigravidae than in multigravidae, but multigravidae are also susceptible because of a higher rate of malaria during pregnancy than previously or after pregnancy. The height of prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum is somewhere in the range of week 9 to 16 of gestation and reduces towards childbirth (Amadi and Nwankwo, 2012).