No abstract

No abstract

Background: Hepatitis B virus infection is considered a major worldwide public health problem. While adults that acquire acute infection usually recover, the chronic type is ultimately fatal both to them and their foetuses. In endemic areas, individuals are infected by vertical transmission or infection in early childhood. The seroprevalence rates of Hepatitis B in pregnancy vary according to the endemicity of a given area with very high prevalence rates mostly reported among developing nations in Asia and Africa. Objective: To determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen in pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic, identify the clinical and epidemiological correlates for hepatitis B in pregnancy and to make evidence based recommendations on screening protocols for our obstetric population at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa. Methodology: This is a descriptive cross sectional study. Two hundred and twenty (220) consecutive healthy pregnant women attending the antenatal booking clinic of the hospital who met the inclusion criteria were recruited into this study after pretest counselling and obtaining consent from them. This was tested for HBsAg with commercially available in vitro diagnostic kits (one step test strips). Data was collected via a structured interviewer administered questionnaire. Data entry and analysis was done using SPSS (statistical package for social sciences) 22 statistical package (SPSS Inc., Illinois, U.S.A). P value less than 0.05 was European Scientific Journal February 2018 edition Vol.14, No.6 ISSN: 1857 – 7881 (Print) e - ISSN 1857- 7431 280 taken as being significant. Results: The mean age of the pregnant women studied was 28.8 years ± 5.2 while the mean parity was 1.20 ± 1.16. 220 pregnant women who came for antenatal booking were recruited into this study. Of these, 4.6% (n=10) were seropositive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Multiple sexual partners and Female circumcision were the significant risk factors for HBsAg seropositivity (p<0.05). There was no significant association with respect to a history of jaundice or contact with a jaundiced patient, previous blood transfusion, intravenous drug abuse or sharing of sharps, previous surgery, episiotomies or dilatation and curettage (p>0.05). Conclusion: The intermediate endemicity of Hepatitis B virus infection in this study according to WHO classification, justifies the need for routine screening in pregnancy to identify and treat the infection accordingly as this will reduce the mother to child transmission. Multiple sexual partners and female circumcision are significant risk factors associated with Hepatitis B virus infection in this environment. Active and passive immunization to infants of HBsAg seropositive mothers is advocated.

No abstract

Background: In malaria endemic areas, pregnant women are constantly at risk of repeated malaria infestation which if left untreated, poses a significant threat to the health and survival of the mother and her baby. Objective: This study determined the prevalence and risk factors for placental malaria parasitaemia among parturients at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Nigeria. Methodology: A prospective cross-sectional analytical study of 205 parturients recruited consecutively at presentation for delivery. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. After delivery, placental blood was collected for microscopy to detect malaria parasites. Data was analysed using SPSS version 22. Results: The prevalence of placental malaria parasitaemia was 13.7%. Maternal age <25 years (P<0.001), low educational status (P = 0.03), low parity (P = 0.03), unbooked status (P < 0.001) and non-use of intermittent preventive treatment (P <0.001) were significantly associated with placental malaria parasitaemia. Receiving three or more doses of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy was by far, more protective for placental malaria than receiving 2 doses (odds ratio = 0.25). Plasmodium falciparum was the only parasite species detected. Conclusion: Malaria still ravages our obstetric population and the significant contributors include low maternal age, low educational status, low parity, unbooked status and non-use of intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy. Women should be encouraged to utilize antenatal care. There should be a prompt adoption of the recent WHO recommendations regarding malaria prophylaxis in pregnancy in all obstetric units and the medication should be given as Directly Observed Therapy.