TITLE:
Evaluation of Malaria Parasitaemia and Assessing the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Pregnant Women Attending Health Facilities in Owerri Metropolis towards Malaria Prevention and Control
AUTHORS:
Chinyere Ihuarulam Okoro, Francis Chukwuebuka Ihenetu, Kingsley Ihedioha Achigbu, Sonny Johnbull Ogboi, Kingsley Excel Dunga, Chidera Chisom Obasi, Chidinma O. Akanazu
KEYWORDS:
Malaria, Parasitaemia, Pregnant Women, Knowledge, Practice
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.9 No.5,
May
26,
2021
ABSTRACT: There are a few investigations on malaria in pregnancy; however, examinations zeroing in on the discernment and current acts of malaria counteraction and treatment among pregnant women are scanty. This examination was pointed toward evaluating the information, recognitions about malaria anticipation with accentuation on information about placental malaria too consistence to utilization of LLIN and IPTP among pregnant women in Owerri, South Eastern Nigeria. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at an emergency department, Federal Medical Centre, Owerri using a pretested questionnaire from 200 randomly selected consenting pregnant women. Acknowledgment of malaria manifestations during pregnancy, information about IPTP and placenta malaria were things used to survey the degree of information about malaria in pregnancy. Their blood tests were additionally diagnosed for malaria parasitaemia. Malaria prevalence in the examination populace by microscopy was 13.5%. Additionally 62% of the respondents were learned about the conceivable impeding impacts of the existences of malaria during pregnancy. About 79.5% of the respondent decidedly related mosquitoes to malaria contamination while 31% and 14% related reason for malaria disease to messy encompassing and stale water individually. Malaria Prevention Mentality and Practice in this examination was acceptable (60%) while 18.5% had reasonable practice. All the more so and 15.5% of the respondents had been associated with helpless practice. About 34% of the pregnant ladies rested under a mosquito net frequently study watched factual criticalness between age, occupation and malaria counteraction rehearses (p = 0.014, 0.0089). There was likewise measurably huge relationship between respondent’s training and respondent mentality (p = 0.0034). Information with respect to the utilization of Sulphodaxine primethamine (SP) as medication of decision during pregnancy was restricted (12.0%) as utilization of chloroquine was positioned most elevated (48%). The study showed low peripheral malaria prevalence and furthermore exhibited that pregnant women’s knowledge, mentality and practice towards malaria avoidance was impressively all things considered. Be that as it may, there was helpless information about discontinuous preventive treatment of malaria (IPTP) or suggested antimalarial during pregnancy.