Effectiveness of Intermittent Preventive Treatment with Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine in Preventing Malaria During Pregnancy
Author Information
Author(s): Falade Catherine O, Yusuf Bidemi O, Fadero Francis F, Mokuolu Olugbenga A, Hamer Davidson H, Salako Lateef A
Primary Institution: University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
Hypothesis
Is intermittent preventive treatment with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine effective in preventing maternal and placental malaria in parturient mothers in Ibadan, Nigeria?
Conclusion
IPT-SP is effective in preventing maternal and placental malaria as well as improving pregnancy outcomes among parturient women in Ibadan, Nigeria.
Supporting Evidence
- IPT-SP reduced maternal parasitaemia to 10.4% compared to 15.9% in the pyrimethamine group.
- IPT-SP reduced placental parasitaemia to 10.5% compared to 16.8% in the pyrimethamine group.
- Maternal anaemia prevalence was 5.7% in the IPT-SP group compared to 8.9% in the pyrimethamine group.
- Pre-term delivery rates were 10.5% in the IPT-SP group compared to 19.2% in the pyrimethamine group.
- Babies born to mothers in the IPT-SP group had a higher mean birth weight of 3204 g compared to 3075 g in the pyrimethamine group.
Takeaway
Giving pregnant women a special medicine can help keep them and their babies safe from malaria.
Methodology
The study evaluated the effectiveness of IPT-SP in 983 parturient mothers, comparing those who received IPT-SP, pyrimethamine, and no chemoprophylactic agent.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the observational nature of the study and reliance on self-reported data.
Limitations
The study used an observational prospective design, which may limit the strength of the conclusions.
Participant Demographics
Mean maternal age was 29.6 years, with a range from 17 to 48 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = 0.021 for maternal parasitaemia, p = 0.015 for placental parasitaemia, p < 0.0001 for maternal anaemia and pre-term delivery.
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 0.39–0.96 for maternal parasitaemia, 95% CI: 0.37–0.91 for placental parasitaemia.
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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