Prevalence and Risk Factors of Malaria among Pregnant Women receiving Antenatal Care in a Health Facility in Delta State, Southern Nigeria

Background: Malaria is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in developing countries including Nigeria. Malaria in pregnancy is estimated to cause about 15% of maternal deaths globally, accounting for over 10,000 maternal and 200,000 neonatal deaths annually. This study determined the prevalence and risk factors of malaria infection among pregnant women receiving antenatal care in a health facility in Delta State. Methods: This was a facility-based cross-sectional study carried out among 418 pregnant women who were selected by systematic sampling technique. Clinical malaria was confirmed using microscopy method (Giemsa staining technique) while a pre-tested, structured, interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect information on soscio-demographic characteristics and obstetrics history of the respondents. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 and the level of statistical significance was set at p< 0.05. Results: The mean age of the participants was 29.9 ± 5.7 years. Two hundred and sixty three (62.9%) pregnant women tested positive for malaria. Respondents who were pregnant for the second time (AOR = 0.521, 95% CI: 0.28 – 0.99, p = 0.045) and those from a family size of 1-6 (AOR = 2.123, 95% CI: 1.12 – 4.04, p = 0.022) were more likely to test positive to malaria parasite. Conclusion: In this study, the prevalence of malaria in pregnant women was high and the significant predictors were; family size of 1–6, skill level 1, first trimester and multigravidae. The Delta State Ministry of Health should ensure increasing access to IPT, ITNs/LLIN and health education on malaria in all hospitals rendering ANC services