Abstract
BackgroundIn areas where malaria is endemic, pregnancy is associated with increased susceptibility to malaria. It is generally agreed that this risk ends with delivery and decreases with the number of pregnancies. Our study aimed to demonstrate relationships between malarial parasitaemia and age, gravidity and anaemia in pregnant women in Libreville, the capital city of Gabon.MethodsPeripheral blood was collected from 311 primigravidae and women in their second pregnancy. Thick blood smears were checked, as were the results of haemoglobin electrophoresis. We also looked for the presence of anaemia, fever, and checked whether the volunteers had had chemoprophylaxis. The study was performed in Gabon where malaria transmission is intense and perennial.ResultsA total of 177 women (57%) had microscopic parasitaemia; 139 (64%)of them were primigravidae, 38 (40%) in their second pregnancy and 180 (64%) were teenagers. The parasites densities were also higher in primigravidae and teenagers. The prevalence of anaemia was 71% and was associated with microscopic Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia: women with moderate or severe anaemia had higher parasite prevalences and densities. However, the sickle cell trait, fever and the use of chemoprophylaxis did not have a significant association with the presence of P. falciparum.ConclusionsThese results suggest that the prevalence of malaria and the prevalence of anaemia, whether associated with malaria or not, are higher in pregnant women in Gabon. Primigravidae and young pregnant women are the most susceptible to infection. It is, therefore, urgent to design an effective regimen of malaria prophylaxis for this high risk population.
Highlights
In areas where malaria is endemic, pregnancy is associated with increased susceptibility to malaria
Malaria reduces birth-weight most in this group [16]. This data has been reported in many African countries, hardly anything is known about malaria in pregnant women from Gabon, a central African country where P. falciparum malaria is endemic
As the prevalence of infection is lower in individuals with sickle cell trait compared with their normal haemoglobin counterparts [17], we studied the frequency of the sickle cell trait
Summary
In areas where malaria is endemic, pregnancy is associated with increased susceptibility to malaria. Our study aimed to demonstrate relationships between malarial parasitaemia and age, gravidity and anaemia in pregnant women in Libreville, the capital city of Gabon. In contrast with low malaria prevalence in adults, pregnant women in endemic areas are highly susceptible to malaria, and both the frequency and the severity of disease are higher in pregnant than non-pregnant women [2]. Malaria reduces birth-weight most in this group [16] This data has been reported in many African countries, hardly anything is known about malaria in pregnant women from Gabon, a central African country where P. falciparum malaria is endemic. We conducted a community-based crosssectional study to describe the prevalence of malaria parasitaemia and anaemia in pregnant women living in Libreville. As the prevalence of infection is lower in individuals with sickle cell trait compared with their normal haemoglobin counterparts [17], we studied the frequency of the sickle cell trait
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