Background: In the developing world, young women, pregnant women, and
their infants and children frequently experience repeated helminthic infection,
that lead to anemia, intrauterine growth retardation and low birth weight.
Despite the difference in distribution of helminths infection within a country,
the information on prevalence of intestinal Helminthiases and its associated
risk factors among pregnant women in the area is lacking. Therefore, this study
aimed to determine the prevalence of intestinal helminthic infection among
pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) clinic of Nigist Eleni Mohammed
Memorial Hospital Hossana, Southern Ethiopia. Method and Materials: A hospital based
cross sectional study design was employed. Two hundred and fifty eight pregnant
women attending the hospital ANC clinic from October 1 to 30, 2013 were included in
the study. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data using interviewer
administered technique. For parasitological examination, formol ether
concentration technique was used to detect helminthes from clinical specimen.
Data were analyzed using SPSS for windows version 16.0. Statistical tests were
performed at the level of significance of 5%. Multivariate logistic regression
analysis was done to identify the significant risk factors. Result: The overall
prevalence of any helminths infection was 29.5%. A. lumbricoides was the predominant helminths infection, detected in 10.1% of pregnant women. There is positive
association between family size and helminths infection [AOR = 4.45; 95%
CI; (1.98, 10.02)], presence of water body in the vicinity of residence [AOR =
3.39; 95% CI = 1.20, 9.57], habit of walking bare foot [AOR = 3.23; 95% CI; 1.28,
8.15)], unprotected source [AOR = 8.71, 95% CI; (1.60, 27.39)] and rural
residence [AOR = 3.64, 95% CI; (1.33, 9.97)]. Monthly income > 1500 Eth.
Birr [AOR = 0.48; 95% CI; (0.23, 0.99)] and living in thatched roof house [AOR =
0.24, 95% CI; (0.06, 0.89)] were found to have negative association with
helminths infection. Conclusion: The present study showed high prevalence of
intestinal helminthes among pregnant women in the study area. Stool exam should
be routinely performed during antenatal care follow-up. Public health measures
should continue to emphasize the importance of environmental and personal
hygiene as well as provide and monitor the quality of drinking water aiming to
obtain a better quality of life.