Infections with helminth were associated with a modest decrease in hemoglobin levels and indicators of poor nutritional status. Recently, a study done on pregnant women indicated that pregnancy has been associated with an increasing prevalence of parasitic infections compared to non-pregnant women. Pregnant women are also at high risk of parasitic infection due to their close relationship with children. High prevalence of parasitic infection in Ethiopia were due to the unsafe and inadequate provision of water, unhygienic living conditions, the absence of proper utilization of latrine and habit of walking with a bare foot. Intestinal parasitic infections account the second most predominant causes of outpatient morbidity in the country. Intestinal parasitic infection is very common in Ethiopia and the magnitude of infection varies from place to place. Infections are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical areas, with the greatest numbers occurring in sub-Saharan Africa, the Americas, China and East Asia. More than 1.5 billion people, or 24% of the world’s population, are infected with soil-transmitted helminthic infections worldwide.
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Thousands of rural and impoverished villagers are often chronically infected with different species of parasitic worms. Intestinal parasites especially geohelmenths are the most common and widespread of human parasites in the developing world. Therefore, health education and improvements in sanitary infrastructure could achieve long-term and sustainable reductions in helminth prevalence. Latrine utilization, hand washing habit, eating raw vegetables and bare foot were the major determinant factors for the high prevalence. The prevalence of helminthic infection is high in this study. Intestinal parasitic infection was higher in women aged less than 21 years (AOR: 6.48 ). The odds of intestinal parasitic infection were higher in rural areas (AOR: 2 ). Ingestion of raw vegetables increases the odds of intestinal parasitic infection by 2.65 folds higher (AOR: 2.65 ). Illiteracy increases the odds of intestinal parasitic infection by 2.32 folds higher (AOR: 2.32 ). Not wearing shoe increased the odds of helminthic infection by 6.87 folds higher (AOR: 6.87 ). Absence of regular hand washing habit increase the odds of infection by 3.33 folds higher (AOR: 3.33 ). Intestinal parasitic infection were 2.94 folds higher in the absence of latrine (AOR: 2.94 ). Ascaris lumbricoides (32.7%) was the predominant intestinal parasite species. The prevalence of intestinal parasite among pregnant women was 70.6%. ResultsĪ total of 783 pregnant women were included. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were used. The data were collected by interview technique and collecting the stool sample from each pregnant woman. MethodsĪ cross-sectional study was conducted in Mecha district from November 2015 to January 2016. The aims of this study were to determine prevalence of helminthic infection and evaluate the determinant factors during pregnancy. Prevalence and impacts of these parasites are high in pregnant women.
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Intestinal parasites are the most common infections in developing countries.