Prevalence of malaria at booking among antenatal clients in a secondary health care facility in Ibadan, Nigeria.

The prevalence of malaria parasitemia at booking was studied in 1,848 pregnant women in a secondary hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria. Main outcome variables were patent parasitemia and fever. 8.4% hadpatent malaria parasitaemia. Most clients (89%) with parasitemia were asymptomatic. Febrile subjects booked at an earlier gestational age [22.7 versus 24.2 weeks] than afebrile patients (p = 0.0052). Anemia was more prevalent among patients with patent parasitemia than those without (58.1% versus 22.6%, p < 0.0001). Malaria parasitaemia was higher among nulliparous women than other parity groups (p < 0.0001). Symptomatic malaria was associated with early booking for antenatal care and malaria parasitemia was a significant determinant of anemia. The prevalence of malaria parasitaemia in this study is much lower than in previous reports.