The Effect of Malaria and Intestinal Helminth Coinfection on Birth Outcomes in Kumasi, Ghana

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Plasmodium falciparum and intestinal helminth coinfection on maternal anemia and birth outcomes. A cross-sectional study of 746 women who delivered in two hospitals in Kumasi was conducted. Data were collected using an investigator-administered q...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene 2010-01, Vol.82 (1), p.28-34
Main Authors: Yatich, Nelly J, Jolly, Pauline E, Funkhouser, Ellen, Agbenyega, Tsiri, Rayner, Julian C, Ehiri, John E, Turpin, Archer, Stiles, Jonathan K, Ellis, William O, Jiang, Yi, Williams, Jonathan H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Biological and medical sciences
Female
Ghana - epidemiology
Helminthiasis - complications
Helminthiasis - physiopathology
Human protozoal diseases
Humans
Infectious diseases
Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic - complications
Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic - physiopathology
Malaria
Malaria, Falciparum - complications
Malaria, Falciparum - physiopathology
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Parasitic diseases
Plasmodium falciparum
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic - physiopathology
Pregnancy Outcome
Protozoal diseases
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Summary:This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Plasmodium falciparum and intestinal helminth coinfection on maternal anemia and birth outcomes. A cross-sectional study of 746 women who delivered in two hospitals in Kumasi was conducted. Data were collected using an investigator-administered questionnaire and from patients' medical records. Blood was collected for determination of P. falciparum and hemoglobin levels. Adverse pregnancy outcomes were high (44.6%). Coinfection (versus no infection) was associated with 3-fold increase in low birth weight. For women with anemia, coinfection was 2.6 times and 3.5 times as likely to result in preterm deliveries and small for gestational age infants. The odds of having anemia was increased almost 3-fold by coinfection. Coinfection (versus helminth only) resulted in increased risks of anemia, low birth weight, and small for gestational age infants. This study demonstrates that women with malaria and intestinal helminth coinfection are at particular risk of adverse birth outcomes.
ISSN:0002-9637
1476-1645
DOI:10.4269/ajtmh.2010.09-0165