Skip to content
Research Article Open access CC BY 3.0

Effect of Malaria and Geohelminth Infection on Birth Outcomes in Kumasi, Ghana

Ntui N. Asundep, Pauline E. Jolly, April P. Carson, Cornelius A. Turpin, Kui Zhang, Nana O. Wilson, Jonathan K. Stiles, Berhanu Tameru

International Journal of TROPICAL DISEASE & Health · pp. 582–594 · Published 12 Mar 2014

10.9734/IJTDH/2014/7573

Abstract

Aim: In 2005, the Ghana Health Service mandated malaria and helminths chemoprophylaxis during antenatal care visits. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of malaria and helminth infections and their relationship with adverse birth outcomes (low birth weight, stillbirth, and preterm) following the implementation of these treatments. Study Design: A quantitative cross-sectional study. Method: The study was conducted on 630 women presenting for delivery in the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and the Manhyia District Hospital from July to November 2011. Socio-demographic information and medical and obstetric history were collected. Laboratory analyses for the presence of malaria and helminths were performed. Association of malaria and helminths with birth outcomes was assessed using logistic regression to obtain odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals. Results: The prevalence of malaria, helminths and adverse birth outcomes was 9.0%, 5.0% and 22.2%, respectively. Compared with women who received malaria prophylaxis, women without malaria prophylaxis were two times more likely to have malaria infection (aOR = 2.1; 95% CI = 1.06-4.17). Women who were not screened for helminths were twice as likely to be infected with helminths (aOR = 2.4; 95% CI = 1.15-5.12) than women who were screened for helminths. For women infected with hookworm or Schistosoma mansoni, the odds of having an adverse birth outcome (aOR = 3.9; 95% CI = 1.09-14.20) and stillbirth (aOR = 7.7; 95% CI = 1.21-36.38) were greater than for women who were not infected. Conclusion: The prevalence of malaria, helminths and adverse birth outcomes was lower than previously reported 9.0% vs. 36.3, 5.0% vs. 25.7 and 22.2% vs. 44.6, respectively. Helminth but not malaria infection was found to be significantly associated with adverse birth outcomes.

Geohelminths malaria pregnancy outcomes Kumasi

References (28)

  1. 1 Association between Water Intake, Chronic Kidney Disease, and Cardiovascular Disease: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of NHANES Data [DOI]
  2. 2 Soil-transmitted helminth infections: ascariasis, trichuriasis, and hookworm [DOI]
  3. 3 Simulation Study of Confounder-Selection Strategies [DOI]
  4. 4 Categorical Data Analysis Using the SAS System [DOI]
  5. 5 Hookworm-Related Anaemia among Pregnant Women: A Systematic Review [DOI]
  6. 6 Hookworms, Malaria and Vitamin A Deficiency Contribute to Anemia and Iron Deficiency among Pregnant Women in the Plains of Nepal [DOI]
  7. 7 An Update on Anemia in Less Developed Countries [DOI]
  8. 8 Pregnancy, Nutrition and Parasitic Diseases [DOI]
  9. 9 Severe malaria attack is associated with high prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides infection among children in rural Senegal [DOI]
  10. 10 RISK FACTORS FOR PLACENTAL MALARIA AND ITS EFFECT ON PREGNANCY OUTCOME IN YAOUNDE, CAMEROON [DOI]
  11. 11 Epidemiology of helminth infections and their relationship to clinical malaria in southwest Uganda [DOI]
  12. 12 Elevated Levels of IL-10 and G-CSF Associated with Asymptomatic Malaria in Pregnant Women [DOI]
  13. 13 Maternal Anemia at First Antenatal Visit: Prevalence and Risk Factors in a Malaria-Endemic Area in Benin [DOI]
  14. 14 Micronutrient Levels and HIV Disease Status in HIV-Infected Patients on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in the Nutrition for Healthy Living Cohort [DOI]
  15. 15 Malaria and anaemia among children in two communities of Kumasi, Ghana: a cross-sectional survey [DOI]
  16. 16 Malaria and hookworm infections in relation to haemoglobin and serum ferritin levels in pregnancy in Masindi district, western Uganda [DOI]
  17. 17 SENSITIVITY AND SPECIFICITY OF AN ANTIGEN DETECTION ELISA FOR MALARIA DIAGNOSIS [DOI]
  18. 18 Association between Anemia and Aflatoxin B1 Biomarker Levels among Pregnant Women in Kumasi, Ghana [DOI]
  19. 19 The Effect of Malaria and Intestinal Helminth Coinfection on Birth Outcomes in Kumasi, Ghana [DOI]
  20. 20 Efficacy of Mefloquine Intermittent Preventive Treatment in Pregnancy Against Schistosoma haematobium Infection in Gabon: A Nested Randomized Controlled Assessor-Blinded Clinical Trial [DOI]
  21. 21 Malaria, Intestinal Helminths and Other Risk Factors for Stillbirth in Ghana [DOI]
  22. 22 Impact of intestinal helminth infection on anemia and iron status during pregnancy: a community based study in Indonesia.
  23. 23 Antenatal Care Attendance, a Surrogate for Pregnancy Outcome? The Case of Kumasi, Ghana [DOI]
  24. 24 Plasmodium/intestinal helminth co-infections among pregnant Nigerian women [DOI]
  25. 25 Lack of Risk of Adverse Birth Outcomes After Deworming in Pregnant Women [DOI]
  26. 26 Malaria infection in pregnancy and its effects on haemoglobin levels in women from a malaria endemic area of Fako Division, South West Province, Cameroon [DOI]
  27. 27 Reduction in the urinary aflatoxin M1biomarker as an early indicator of the efficacy of dietary interventions to reduce exposure to aflatoxins [DOI]
  28. 28 Prevention and control of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis.

Cited by 23

Predictors and prevalence of perinatal mortality in Ghana: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Punguyire D, Koray MH, Abiiro GA. · BMC Public Health · 2025

Malaria and anaemia prevalence and associated factors among pregnant women initiating antenatal care in two regions in Ghana: an analytical cross-sectional study.

Ampofo GD, Osarfo J, Okyere DD · BMC Pregnancy Childbirth · 2025

Malaria in pregnancy control and pregnancy outcomes: a decade's overview using Ghana's DHIMS II data.

Ampofo GD, Osarfo J, Aberese-Ako M · Malar J · 2022

Prenatal malaria exposure and risk of adverse birth outcomes: a prospective cohort study of pregnant women in the Northern Region of Ghana.

Hussein H, Shamsipour M, Yunesian M · BMJ Open · 2022

Effect of Lymphatic Filariasis and Hookworm Infection on Pregnancy Course and Outcome in Women Living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Campillo JT, Chabot EB, Awaca-Uvon NP · Am J Trop Med Hyg · 2021

Intermittent preventive treatment comparing two versus three doses of sulphadoxine pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) in the prevention of anaemia in pregnancy in Ghana: A cross-sectional study.

Agyeman YN, Newton S, Annor RB · PLoS One · 2021

The Effectiveness of the Revised Intermittent Preventive Treatment with Sulphadoxine Pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) in the Prevention of Malaria among Pregnant Women in Northern Ghana.

Agyeman YN, Newton SK, Annor RB · J Trop Med · 2020

Malaria and Geohelminthiasis Coinfections in Expectant Women: Effect on Maternal Health and Birth Outcomes in a Malaria Endemic Region in Kenya.

Wanyonyi WA, Mulambalah CS, Mulama DH · J Parasitol Res · 2018

Quantification of the association between malaria in pregnancy and stillbirth: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Moore KA, Simpson JA, Scoullar MJL · Lancet Glob Health · 2017

Characteristics of asymptomatic Plasmodium spp. parasitaemia in Kwahu-Mpraeso, a malaria endemic mountainous district in Ghana, West Africa.

Owusu ED, Buabeng V, Dadzie S · Malar J · 2016

Showing 20 of 23 known citations — external sources report more than can currently be individually listed.

Related research

Article metrics

Real usage data collected on this platform.

59

Page views

0

PDF downloads

10

Outbound clicks

23

Citations

Views over time

Views by country

Approximate, from request IP at view time — not citizenship or institution. Countries with fewer than 5 views are grouped as "Other".

Traffic sources

Referring site, by host.

Views and downloads exclude known bots/crawlers. Citations combines this platform's own DOI-resolved index with each external source's own reported total — see Cited by above for individually listed citing works. Last refreshed 0 seconds ago.