Anaemia Association with Intestinal Parasitic Nfection in Pregnant Women Attending Ntenatal Clinic at Janakpur Zonal Hospital, Nepal

Abstract

Anaemia during pregnancy cause direct impact on the health of both mother and faetus. Among the various reasons, intestinal parasitic infection has been considered as one of them. In order to find out the status of parasitic infection and anaemia during pregnancy, a total of 202 stool samples from pregnant women on their first consultation to antenatal services in Janakpur Zonal hospital were collected from October 2017 to April 2018.The stool sample were examined for intestinal parasite by direct smear technique , while hemoglobin level of pregnant women were collected from laboratory record of the hospital, Out of the 34 anaemic pregnant women 35.29% had parasitic infection , while from non-anaemic pregnant women, 70% of them were infected with intestinal parasite. The association of anaemia with intestinal parasite was statistically significant (p=0.005). The prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides (13.86%) was most prevalent followed by Hookworm (3.46%) in anaemic pregnant women. The hemoglobin levels of 36 pregnant women who were infected with parasitic infection was reported to be 10.3 mg/dl (mild anemia). However, the overall prevalence of the parasitic infection among pregnant women was 17.82%. Ascaris lumbricoides 13.86% was the most predominant followed by Hookworm (3.46%) and Giardia lamblia (0.49%). The prevalence of the intestinal parasite showed no significance association with their residency area (p=0.18) and source of water (p=0.4) but showed stastically significant with habit of use of toilet (p=0.000). The prevalence rate of IPI was higher among larger family size of pregnant women and also illiterate/limited literacy group of population. The designing and implementation of parasite control programme should be a public health priority at local and regional level to reduce the degree of anaemia during pregnancy.