Prevalence and risk factors of intestinal parasitic infections in pregnancy: a cross-sectional study in a rural district in Ghana.

Background: Intestinal parasitic infection is a common public health problem in developing countries. The disease caused by these infections affects millions of pregnant women worldwide, and may lead to adverse maternal and foetal outcomes. This study aimed to determine the burden of intestinal parasitic infections and the associated risk factors among pregnant women attending Pentecost Hospital in the Upper Denkyira West District of Ghana.

Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Pentecost Hospital in the Upper Denkyira West district in the Central region of Ghana. Pregnant women were recruited from June to October 2021. Questionnaires were administered to the participants to obtain socio-demographic, behavioural, and obstetrics characteristics. Non-repetitive fresh stool samples were produced by the participants and processed for parasite detection by direct wet mount, formol-ether concentration, and Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique.

Results: Two hundred and seven pregnant women were enrolled. Most (61.8%) of them were between 20 and 29 years. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitosis was 19.3% (95% CI: 14.2-25.3). Eight different parasitic species were identified, among which hookworm (4.8%) was the majority, and identified by both direct wet mount (4.8%) and formol-ether concentration (3.4%) methods. Pregnant women who have experienced a pregnancy loss had 2.912 times increased odds of parasitic infection compared to those with no record of pregnancy loss [aOR = 2.912, 95% CI: 1.210-7.011; p-value = 0.017].

Conclusion: Intestinal parasitic infection was prevalent among pregnant women, with hookworm being the most common parasite. Risk factors included a history of pregnancy loss and handwashing practices. Unexpectedly, women who washed their hands with soap and water had higher infection rates. Public health interventions are essential to mitigate the impact of these infections on maternal and foetal health.