Fadeyi, A.Balogun, O.R.Babatunde, A.S.Adesina, K.T.Aderibigbe, S.Sani, M.A.2021-10-272021-10-272010Fadeyi, A., Balogun, O.R., Babatunde, A.S., Adesina, K.T., Aderibigbe, S., Sani, M.A (2010). Malaria Parasitaemia and Anaemia among First Antenatal Clinic Attendees in Ilorin, Nigeria. International Journal of Biological Sciences, 2(4):30-37.https://uilspace.unilorin.edu.ng/handle/20.500.12484/6790The burden of malaria and anaemia in pregnancy is unknown in Ilorin, Nigeria despite malaria being threat to 2.4 billion lives world-wide including Nigerians particularly the children and pregnant women. To determine the prevalence of malaria parasitaemia and anaemia in pregnancy among first antenatal clinic attendees at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Ilorin, Nigeria, 500 consecutive, consenting pregnant women presenting for antenatal care at UITH, Ilorin for the first time were screened for malaria parasitaemia and anaemia over a 1 year period starting from June 2008. Information about participants’ socio-demographic data, fever, anti-malaria therapy including prophylaxis using intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTp/SP) among others were also obtained at recruitment. The prevalence of malaria parasitaemia and anaemia in the women were 32.4% and 25.8 respectively. The women’s age, parity and educational level did not affect either malaria parasitaemia (MP) or mean parasite density (MPD) but gestational age (GA) significantly (F = 6.02, p = 0.002) affected MPD as women in the first trimester (35.7%) were most infected. The mean haemoglobin concentration (MCH) was significantly associated with maternal age (f = 3.33, p = 0.005) and parity ((f – 23.97, p = 0.000), and varied inversely as the MPD. Maternal fever was not a good predictor of MP as only 7 (46.7%) of 162 (32.4%) malaria parasitaemic women were febrile. There was no significant difference (f = 1.4, p = 0.23) in the mean malaria parasite densities of anaemic compared with non-anaemic women but there was significant difference in the prevalence of MP (X2 = 1.135, p = 0.0007549) and anaemia (X2 = 8.634, p = 0.0000) among users and non-users of IPTp/SP. Malaria parasitaemia and anaemia remains a threat in pregnancy in Ilorin, Nigeria with the affected often afebrile. Since users of IPTp/SP in pregnancy were better protected against malaria parasitaemia and anaemia in pregnancy, early antenatal booking and use of IPTp/SP is desired.enmalaria parasitaemiaanaemiapregnancyNigeriaArticle