The prevalence of malaria infection in pregnant women living in a suburb of Lagos, Nigeria.

Malaria during pregnancy continues to be a major health problem in endemic countries with clinical consequences including death of both mother and child. In Nigeria, statistics shows that as many as 300,000 lives especially those of children and pregnant women are lost annually to malaria. This study was aimed at assessing the prevalence of malaria among pregnant women living in Ojo Local Council, a suburb of Lagos Nigeria, which is characterized by unstable transmission of malaria. 50 pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic of the popular saint Anthony Hospital and Maternity Home in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos were recruited for this study. This study was carried out from April 2009 to September 2009 (period of high malaria transmission). The result showed that malaria infection was prevalent during pregnancy. A total of 26 (52%) of the pregnant women were positive to and showed symptoms of malaria while 24 (48%) were negative and showed no symptoms of malaria. Primigravidae were more susceptible to the parasite especially Plasmodium falciparum with mean parasite density of 2112.50 ± 420.90 (parasite/μl) than the multigravidas with parasite density 446.70 ± 296.90 (parasite/μl). The results showed the prevalence of malaria infection especially P. falciparum infection in pregnant women living in the area and that the younger women were more at risk. Malaria should therefore be recognized as a global priority in health care more so in pregnancy.