Use of Intermittent Preventive Treatment for Malaria among Pregnant Women in Kubwa, Abuja, Nigeria

Background and Aims of Study: Malaria in pregnancy remains one of the infectious diseases threatening the health of pregnant women and the unborn child in Africa. The use of Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine (SP) as intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp) has been shown to greatly reduce the impact of malaria in pregnancy and its complications when administered appropriately according to set protocol. The aim of this study is to ascertain the appropriate use of SP among pregnant women who received ante-natal care (ANC) and determine its relationship with feto-maternal outcome.
Place and Duration of Study: Daughters of charity Primary Health Center, Kubwa, Abuja, between January 2010 and June 2011.
Methodology: A retrospective study of 200 pregnant women, who attended ANC, delivered and followed-up to post-natal clinic at Daughters of Charity primary health centre and was administered SP between January 2010 and June 2011. Ante-natal records were retrieved and socio-demographic variable, number of doses of SP received as well as feto-maternal outcome were collected and analyzed.
Results: The use of IPTp among pregnant women in this facility is low, accounting for only 6% of the study population, while 79% were not administered IPTp throughout their pregnancy. Majority of the primigravida (61 out of 70) who were more vulnerable to malaria in pregnancy did not receive any dose of IPTp.
Conclusion: More effort is required to increase IPTp coverage in the community. This may be achieved by improving the awareness of IPTp among health care workers, pregnant women and the entire community at large