SEARCHCROSS-SECTIONALobstetrics and gynecology, epidemiology

cross-sectional·obstetrics and gynecology, epidemiology, public health, nutrition, infectious disease·PMC10569528

Association between malaria and undernutrition among pregnant women at presentation for antenatal care in health facilities in the Mount Cameroon region

PLOS ONE · 9 authors, 5 centres

AI SUMMARY

FIDELITY 100%

POPULATION1,014 pregnant women presenting for antenatal care in health facilities in the Mount Cameroon region

INTERVENTION

COMPARISON

This summary was generated by AI from a single paper. It has not been reviewed by a clinician and is not clinical advice. Verify against the source before acting on it.

AGENT 01 · STRUCTURED SUMMARY

TRACE TO SOURCE

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TL;DR

This cross-sectional hospital-based study of 1,014 pregnant women in the Mount Cameroon region found a malaria prevalence of 17.8% and an undernutrition prevalence of 89.6%, with a statistically significant association between malaria infection and poor dietary diversity.

Full summary

716 CHARS

This hospital-based cross-sectional study enrolled 1,014 pregnant women consecutively over one year at antenatal care clinics in the Mount Cameroon region. Malaria parasitaemia was diagnosed by microscopy and dietary diversity (DD) was used to assess maternal nutrition. The prevalence of malaria infection was 17.8% and the prevalence of undernutrition was 89.6%. Factors associated with undernutrition included younger maternal age, farming occupation, fewer than four clinic visits, and health facility type. The association between malaria infection and dietary diversity was statistically significant. The findings suggest a need for integrated nutritional counselling and malaria control during antenatal care.

PICO

PPOPULATION

1,014 pregnant women presenting for antenatal care in health facilities in the Mount Cameroon region

OOUTCOME

Malaria parasitaemia prevalence, undernutrition (dietary diversity), and their association

STUDY TYPE

cross-sectional

SPECIALTY

obstetrics and gynecology

SUMMARISED BY

AI pipeline

FIDELITY CHECK

100% · A

ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10569528

Association between malaria and undernutrition among pregnant women at presentation for antenatal care in health facilities in the Mount Cameroon region

PLOS ONE

READ THE FULL PAPER

ABSTRACT

Abstract In resource limited settings, malaria and undernutrition are major public health problems in pregnancy. Therefore, this study assessed the association between malaria infection and undernutrition among pregnant women in the Mount Cameroon area. This cross-sectional study enrolled 1,014 pregnant women consecutively over a year. A structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic information and clinical data. Maternal nutrition was assessed using dietary diversity (DD). Peripheral blood samples collected were used for the diagnosis of malaria parasitaemia by microscopy whereas haemoglobin (Hb) levels were determined using an Hb meter. Logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with malaria and dietary diversity. The prevalence of malaria infection and undernutrition was 17.8% and 89.6% respectively. In addition, of those infected with malaria, geometric mean parasite density was 301/μL of blood (range: 40–9280) while mean DD score was 3.57±0.82 (range: 1–7). The odds of being infected with malaria parasitaemia was highest among women enrolled in the rainy season (OR = 1.58, P = 0.043), who were farmers (OR = 2.3, P = 0.030), had a household size of < 4 individuals (OR = 1.48, P = 0.026) and who were febrile (OR = 1.87, P < 0.001). Also, attending clinic visits in Mutengene Medical Centre (OR = 2.0, P = 0.012) or Buea Integrated Health Centre (OR = 2.9, P = < 0.001), being < 25 years (OR = 2.4, P = 0.002) and a farmer (OR = 10.6, P = 0.024) as well as < 4 clinic visits (OR = 1.62, P = 0.039) were identified as predictors of undernutrition. Furthermore, the association between malaria and DD was statistically significant (P = 0.015). In this study, undernutrition was highly frequent than malaria infection. Thus, there is an urgent need to improve maternal awareness through nutritional counselling and health campaigns on the benefits of consuming at least five food groups. Besides, improved maternal dietary nutrient intake is likely to have impact on the burden of malaria parasite infection.

CITATION EXPORT

Vanessa Tita Jugha, Juliana Adjem Anchang, Germain Sotoing Taiwe et al.. Association between malaria and undernutrition among pregnant women at presentation for antenatal care in health facilities in the Mount Cameroon region. PLOS ONE. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0292550

AUTHORS

9 · 5 CENTRES

Vanessa Tita Jugha, Juliana Adjem Anchang, Germain Sotoing Taiwe, Helen Kuokuo Kimbi, Judith Kuoh Anchang-Kimbi, Gifty Dufie Ampofo, Gifty Dufie Ampofo, Gifty Dufie Ampofo, Gifty Dufie Ampofo

1Department of Animal Biology and Conservation, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
2International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, ICARDA, Cairo, Eygpt
3Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Bamenda, Bamenda, Cameroon
4Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
5University of Health and Allied Sciences, GHANA