The assessment of Asymptomatic Malaria Infection and Its Associated Factors Among Pregnant Women in Gambella Town, Southwest Ethiopia.

Abstract

Abstract Background: Malaria during pregnancy is a major cause of fetal and maternal morbidity and mortality. In malaria endemic areas, Plasmodium infections tend to remain asymptomatic yet causing significant problems like maternal anemia, low birth weight, premature births, and still birth. Asymptomatic carriers also provide a fundamental reservoir of parasites, contributing to the persistence of malaria transmission. Objective: To assess the prevalence of asymptomatic malaria and its associated factors among pregnant women in Gambella town, southwest Ethiopia. Methods: A hospital -based cross-sectional study was conducted from May to July 2022 among 269 randomly selected pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at Gambella town. Socio demographic data were obtained using structured questionnaire and about 3ml of peripheral blood samples were collected for malaria parasite and hemoglobin estimation. Microscopy and rapid diagnostic test (RDT) were used to identify malaria parasites. The filled data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 for Windows. The estimates were presented as odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI). P-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: The prevalence of asymptomatic malaria infection was 23 (8.6%) and 17 (6.3%) by microscopy and RDTs, respectively. All of them were found infected with P. falciparum. Prevalence of anemia among pregnant women were 58 (21.6%) and 12 (20.7%) of them were infected with asymptomatic malaria. Being anemic (AOR = 0.23, 95% CI = 0.068-0.791); not using of Insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITN) regularly (AOR = 0.07, 95% CI = 0.010-0.546), not spraying of indoor residual spray (IRS) for the last 12 months (AOR = 0.11, 95% CI = 0.031 0.354), being primigravidae (AOR = 15.22, 95% CI = 1.473-157.35), and lower monthly household income (AOR = 0.12, 95% CI = 0.018-0.801) were independent predictors of asymptomatic malaria among pregnant women at p-value of < 0.05. Conclusion: The present study showed asymptomatic malaria is prevalent in pregnant women and it has statistically significantly associated with the haemoglobin level, being primigravidae, not using of ITN and spraying of IRS. This indicates pregnant women have to be screened for asymptomatic malaria, anemia and educate regular utilization of ITNs and IRS to avoid health consequences of malaria infection and anemia during pregnancy for the mother and fetus. Keywords: Asymptomatic malaria, Anaemia, Pregnant women, Prevalence, Plasmodium species, Gambella, southwest Ethiopia.