Prevalence of Maternal Anemia Due to Plasmodium falciparum in District Mardan, Khyber Pakhtoon Khwa, Pakistan

Over 40% of the world population lives in area where plasmodium infection is common including Pakistan. Pakistan is endemic for Plasmodium infections and incidence rate is one case per thousand populations. These parasites not only decrease the Hemoglobin level but also reduce immunity. The present study was based on identification of anemia due to plasmodium among conceived women of district Mardan. In the present work a total number of 100 female conceived women blood was studied from April 2016 to June 2016 the microscopic examination showed that all most 100% of the female during pregnancy were suffering from anemia during one or other stage of their trimester however 64% showed positive result for Plasmodium falciparum at early or later phase of their trimester and only 34% women were anemic only during their gestation period. It was recorded from the recent study that Plasmodium falciparum was one of the major cause of anemia in pregnancy in the selected area. The positive record indicates that plasmodium infection during pregnancy increase risk of low birth weight of fetus and can increase death rate during the first year of life.