Plasmodium falciparum Parasitaemia during Pregnancy and the Use of Malaria Prevention Methods by Women Attending Antenatal Consultation at the Regional Hospital Bamenda, Northwest Cameroon

Aims: The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia in pregnant women and to identify the prevention methods used by pregnant women attending antenatal consultation (ANC) in the Regional Hospital Bamenda (RHB).

Study Design: This was a hospital based cross sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in the Regional Hospital Bamenda between April and May 2020.

Methodology: A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on sociodemographic characteristics, history of pregnancy and the use of malaria prevention methods. Capillary blood was collected through finger prick and used to prepare thick and thin blood smears that were Giemsa-stained for the detection of malaria parasite by microscopy.

Results: A total of 250 pregnant women took part in this study. The mean age ±SD was 27.71 ±5.47 years. The mean pregnancy age ±SD was 24.04 ±8.59 weeks. The prevalence of malaria parasitaemia was 18.0%. The most used malaria prevention method was LLINs (190/211, 91.0%). There was a statistically significant difference in MP prevalence between women who used IPTp (13.9%) and those who didn’t (26.5%) (χ2 =5.87, P= .02); between women who used bed nets and IPT (12.9%) in combination and those who didn’t (24.0%) (χ2 = 5.12, P= .03) as well as between participants who used at least one method (16.4%) and their counterparts who didn’t use any malaria prevention method (38.9%) (χ2=5.73, P=.01). Living in a house with plank or mud walls (13; 29.0%) was surprisingly more protective than living in a cement brick or mud brick house (30; 71.0%) (OR: 2.34; 95%CI: 1.10-4.97; P=.03).

Conclusion: Malaria remains a health preoccupation among pregnant women attending ANC consultation in the RHB. Use of bed nets and IPTp as well as the use of at least one prevention method could be protective.