TITLE:
Prevalence and Factors Associated with Genital Infections in Pregnancy at the Ebolowa Regional Hospital Center
AUTHORS:
Messakop Moayeth Yannick, Bilo’o Leslie Lydienne, Lendem Isabelle, Makemgue Louise Stephanie, Bisay Souhe Ulrich, Mboua Ndenga Veronique, Atangana Ekobo Huguette, Ndoumba Annick, Biloa Julienne, Ntone Samuel Vianey, Bengono Rody, Foumane Pascal, Ekono Guy Michel
KEYWORDS:
Prevalence, Associated Factors, Genital Infections, Pregnancy, Ebolowa
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.15 No.12,
December
31,
2025
ABSTRACT: Genital infections are a major public health problem affecting millions of women worldwide. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of genital infections and associated factors among women consulting for infection at the Ebolowa Regional Hospital Center. Methodology: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study with an analytical component conducted between January and August 2025 in the gynaecology department of this institution. Our study included all pregnant patients who attended the obstetrics outpatient clinic and for whom a genital infection assessment had been requested. Sociodemographic, clinical and paraclinical data were collected using an anonymous questionnaire, which had been previously tested and validated, and then analysed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 25.0 software. Results: During our study, we recruited 300 patients who had undergone genital infection screening during pregnancy. Among these patients, the prevalence of genital infections was 77% (231/300). The most common infection was bacterial vaginosis (30%; 90/300), followed by vulvovaginal candidiasis (21.21%; 63/300) and Chlamydia trachomatis infection (21%; 62/300). Marital status (single, p = 0.0001), primary education level (p = 0.0032) and history of genital infections (p = 0.02) significantly influenced the occurrence of these infections.In a multivariate analysis, being a single woman (AOR = 4.5; CI [1.02 - 10.51], p = 0.005) and having a primary school education (AOR = 3.6; CI [2.30 - 8.23], p = 0.01) were independent risk factors for genital infection during pregnancy. Conclusion: Genital infections during pregnancy remain predominant at the Ebolowa Regional Hospital Center, and vaginal candidiasis is the most frequent cause. These results raise the interest of future studies on the evaluation of the impact of genital infections on the maternal-foetal prognosis.