Abstract:
Background: Intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp) with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) has been
adopted as policy by most countries in sub-Saharan Africa. This cross-sectional study assessed the prevalence of IPTp-SP
usage for prevention of malaria among pregnant women as well as evaluated factors associated with IPTp-SP use during
pregnancy in Sekondi-Takoradi region of Ghana.
Methods: Pregnant women attending their antenatal-care with either clinical/ultrasound evidence of pregnancy were re-
cruited. Venous blood was screened for malaria using RAPID response antibody kit and Giemsa staining. Haemoglobin esti-
mations were done by cyanmethemoglobin method while Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) screening was performed
by the national diagnostic algorithm of two rapid antibody test and western blot confirmation.
Results: Of the 754 consented pregnant women interviewed in this study, 57.8% had received IPTp-SP while 42.2% had
not at their first contact with the study personnel. Furthermore, 18.6% (81/436) of those that received IPTp-SP were ma-
laria positive while 81.4% (355/436) were malaria negative. The results also indicated that 47.7% (51/107) of the pregnant
women in their third trimester who were meant to have received at least two-doses of SP had received ≥2 doses while 35.5%
(38/107) had received 1 dose. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, pregnant women in their third trimester who re-
ceived ≥2 doses of SP showed decreased likelihoods of malaria (adjusted OR, 0.042; 95% CI, 0.003-0.51; P = 0.013).
Conclusion: IPTp-SP usage among pregnant women in Sekondi-Takoradi reduces malaria and its use for malaria prevention
should be strengthened with proper dosage completion and coverage.
