THE EFFECT OF DIRECTLY OBSERVED TREATMENT FOR INTERMITTENT PREVENTIVE TREAMENT OF MALARIA USING SULPHADOXINE-PYRIMETHAMINE TO PREVENT ANAEMIA IN PREGNANCY AT SELECTED PRIMARY HEALTHCARE FACILITIES, PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

Osagie Ize Anuoluwapo*, Envuladu Esther Awazzi, Mohammed Amina and Zoakah Ayuba Ibrahim

ABSTRACT

Malaria in pregnancy is a major public health problem in Nigeria which impacts on maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Malaria induced anaemia has been found to be a complication which leads to maternal mortality. This study was aimed at determining the effect of directly observed treatment for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria using Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine on malaria induced anaemia. It was a quasi-experimental study conducted among 243 recruited pregnant women (119 in intervention and 124 in the control groups) attending antenatal clinics in four primary healthcare clinics of two selected LGAs of Plateau State Nigeria. The findings revealed higher education and lower parity as predictors for improved uptake of Intermittent Preventive Treatment with Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine. It also revealed that it was 34 times more likely to have malaria among participants who did not receive the intervention than those who did (CI = 4.56-255.93) and there was a statistically significant difference among participants who received the intervention and having a normal PCV (p=<0.001). This study concluded that through the intervention, there was a lower incidence of maternal malaria infection at delivery and therefore malaria induced anaemia when compared to the control group to ensure a healthy mother and child.

Keywords: Malaria in pregnancy, malaria induced anaemia, directly observed treatment, Intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy.