Effectiveness of Sulphadoxine Pyrimethamine in Intermittent Preventive Treatment of Malaria in Pregnancy at Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of sulphadoxine – pyrimethamine (SP) in intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy at Federal medical centre, Abeokuta.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Antenatal Clinic, Department of Obstetrics and gynaecology, Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta.

Population: Pregnant women presenting for antenatal booking that met the inclusion criteria for the study.

Methods: Patients were randomized into two groups. Blood film for malaria parasite was collected from all the patients before administering sulphadoxine – pyrimethamine to the first group. A repeat sample for malaria parasite was collected from all the patients after two weeks before administering SP to the second group. The maternal biodata, Pre and Post SP blood film analysis results were compared within the two groups.

Main Outcome Measures: Prevalence of malaria parasitaemia and parasite reduction or clearance rate with use of SP.

Results: The result of 358 patients were analysed; 203 in the case group and 155 in the control group. The prevalence of malaria in pregnancy in the study population was 43.9%. The mean parasite density at booking was 1049.7 parasites/µl in the case group and 1183.4 parasites/µl in control group. Prevalence of parasitaemia in the case group reduced by 67.4% and in the control group by 32.4% (P=0.015). The mean parasite density reduction was 59.3% and 37.9% in the case and control group respectively (P=0.021).

Conclusion: The study findings revealed that sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine is effective for the intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy.