Gastrointestinal Helminth Infection in Pregnancy: Disease Incidence and Hematological Alterations

BACKGROUND The incidence and hematological effects of helminth infection during pregnancy were investigated among pregnant women in Isiala, Mbano, Southeast Nigeria. METHODS Totally 282 pregnant women were enlisted for the study between October 2011 and September 2012. Stool samples were examined for intestinal helminths using formalin-ether sedimentation technique. Hemoglobin (Hb) and Packed Cell Volume (PCV) levels were evaluated in venous blood samples using Sahli's and microhaematocrit methods respectively. RESULTS Forty six (16.3%) subjects were infected with at least one helminth parasite; 24 (8.5%) hookworm, 14(5.0%) and 2(0.7%) A. lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura infections respectively. Intestinal helminthiases in pregnant women was significantly associated with age (P<0.05). The prevalence of intestinal helminthiases by parity was also significantly different (P<0.05) with primigravidae having the highest infection rate (27.5%). Hematological assessment showed that the prevalence of anemia among the women was 58.9% (mean±SD = 9.3±1.0). The differences in hemoglobin levels by age groups was statistically significant (P <0.05). The contributory effect of gastrointestinal helminths in anemia showed that infected pregnant women had lower mean hemoglobin (8.60±0.22g/dl) than the uninfected (9.72±0.07g/dl). Significant difference (t-value = 5.660, P<0.05) was observed between the Hb of the infected and uninfected pregnant women. In addition, infected pregnant women had mean PCV of 26.09±0.65% while the uninfected had 34.54±2.96%. The mean PCV of infected pregnant women was significantly different (t-value= 0.013, P<0.05) from that of the uninfected. CONCLUSION Anti-helminthic therapy after the first trimester should be part of the antenatal programme. Intestinal helminth infection showed significant negative correlation with Hb and PCV and contributed moderately to anemia.