Prevalence of Falciparum Malaria in Relation to Age, Gravidity, Trimester, Blood Group and Genotype among Pregnant Women

Aim: This study was undertaken to ascertain the prevalence of falciparum malaria in relation to age, gravidity, trimester, blood group and genotype among pregnant women attending antenatal in Model Primary Health Centre, Omoku, Rivers State.

Methodology: The study was carried out from January to December, 2019, venous blood samples were collected from six hundred and ten pregnant women selected by simple random sampling, thick and thin blood films were made, stained with giemsa stain and viewed under the light microscope. ABO Blood group and haemoglobin genotype were determined using standard methods. Statistical result was performed using statistical package for social sciences version 20.

Results: The overall prevalence of malaria in relation to age showed that out of the 610 pregnant women tested, 320 were positive for malaria giving an overall prevalence of 52.5℅. The age group between 46 – 50 yrs had the highest prevalence of malaria 100%, while the age group 36-40 yrs recorded the least prevalence of malaria 11.1℅. The prevalence of malaria in relation to gravidity showed that the multigravida had higher prevalence (96.3%) than primigravida which had 45.5℅. The overall prevalence of malaria in relation to gravidity is 54.9%. With regards to trimester, it showed that pregnant women in their second and third trimester both had the highest prevalence of malaria 57.0℅, while those in the first trimester had the lowest prevalence of 50℅. For blood group it showed that the blood group with the highest prevalence was AB (76.1%), while blood group A had the least prevalence (24.7℅). The overall prevalence of malaria in relation to blood group is 55.6%. In relation to genotype, it showed that genotype AA had the highest prevalence of 85.2℅, while the least prevalence was seen among AS genotype (35.4℅). Prevalence values were statistically significant at P < 0.05.

Conclusion: This study showed that malaria in pregnancy is still endemic in Omoko, Rivers State, Nigeria. The high prevalence observed in most groups could be because rainy season lasts longer yearly which favours the breeding of Anopheles Mosquito, the malaria vector. There is need for adequate enlightenment on the malaria preventive and control measures to reduce the prevalence of malaria in pregnancy.