Effect of self-medication with antimalarial drugs on malaria infection in pregnant women in South-Western Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of self-medication with chloroquine and pyrimethamine on malaria infection and anaemia during pregnancy. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study involved 210 women who attended Ade Oyo Maternity State Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. Of these, 156 were pregnant women while 54 were not pregnant (controls). Of the pregnant women, 66 were primigravidae, while 90 were multigravidae. History of treatment of malaria with antimalarial drugs was obtained from the subjects. Gravidity and gestation period were also documented. Two millilitres of blood was withdrawn from each subject, for haematological parameters. Thin and thick films were prepared for malaria parasite identification and quantification.
RESULTS: Of the primigravidae and multigravidae 68 and 16.4%, respectively, had taken antimalarial drugs prior to booking. Among primigravidae, only 18% of those with drugs compared with 32% without drugs were malaria-positive. The parasite density was significantly lower among those who took antimalarial drugs than among those who did not (976 +/- 60 versus 2,421 +/- 78, p < 0.05). Similarly, among multigravidae, only 16.4% of those who took antimalarial drugs compared with 34% of those who were not malaria-positive. The parasite density was also significantly lower in multigravidae with drugs than among those without drugs (350 +/- 45 versus 1,000 +/- 65, p < 0.05). The prevalence of anaemia (packed cell volume, PCV < 33) was high, 89% in primigravidae and 70% in multigravidae. Severe anaemia (PCV < 21) was more common in malaria-positive primigravidae and multigravidae than in malaria-negative women.
CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that self-medication with chloroquine and pyrimethamine at booking was able to reduce the prevalence of malaria and anaemia in pregnancy.