ABSTRACT

Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by the protozoa, Plasmodium and transmitted by the infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. The study was conducted to determine the prevalence of malaria parasite infection and anaemia among pregnant women attending antenatal care at Overcomers clinic Afara Ibeku, Umuahia, Abia state. Their knowledge, attitude and practices towards malaria and its control were also determined through the instrument of questionnaires. The study was carried out between May and July 2018. A total of 150 pregnant women were sampled for the presence of malaria and anaemia using thick and thin film smears for malaria while anaemia was determined based on spectrometric detection of cyametahaemoglobin. The result showed that 58.00% had mild, 26.67% moderate and 15.33% severe anaemia while malaria infection recorded a prevalence of 93.33%. The secundigravidae group had the highest prevalence of anaemia (42.67%). Highest prevalence of anaemia (45.33%) was recorded among women in their second trimester. Pregnant women aged 27-33 years had highest malaria infection rate of (95.38%). Majority of the respondents (98.00%) had good knowledge about malaria. Night fever and weakness of the body were the commonest symptoms reported (79.61%). Those that visited the hospital for treatment were (75.73%) while others sought for medical attention through drug stores. More than half of the respondents used insecticide treated nets (58.67%) to protect themselves from being bitten by mosquitoes and some of the respondents discarded broken containers (44.00%) around their surroundings in order to get rid of mosquito breeding sites. The major source of information reported about malaria and Intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) during pregnancy was the hospitals/health centres. Following the high prevalence of malaria infection in pregnancy, more efforts are needed in the control of malaria in pregnancy. Public enlightenment on the importance of malaria diagnosis and treatment is advocated.