Uptake of intermittent preventive treatment of Malaria in pregnancy using Sulfadoxine Pyrimethamine (iptp-sp) in Mpanda municipal council, Katavi Tanzania

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background Intermittent preventive treatment consuming Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine (SP) has proven to reduce antagonistic outcomes of malaria during pregnancy to fetus and mother . Though SP-IPTp policy has been executed in Tanzania for the last 5 years using new guideline for ≥ 3 doses of Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine, coverage has continued to be low by 32%. A study in Mpanda Municipal Council, Tanzania, investigated issues poignant to uptake of SP-IPTp during pregnancy to support national and international efforts. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional quantitative study took place in Mpanda Municipal council with a total population of 245,764 in the Katavi region, involving 371 postnatal mothers in 3 Health Centres. The study utilized structured questionnaires that were administered face-to-face. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.0. For univariate analysis, descriptive statistics were used; for bivariate analysis, cross tabulations were used to determine the relationships between variables. For multivariate analysis, multivariate logistic regression was employed. Results Of the surveyed postnatal women 112 (30 %) received three dosages of IPTp-SP while 128 (34 %) took less than three dosages of SP. The mean age was 27.34 ± 6.416 years, and 169 (45.6%) of the sample were aged between 25-34 years. The uptake of three doses of IPTp-SP was significantly associated with the gestation age at which she had the first dose (P = 0.003), interval duration between dosages of SP (P < 0.001), means of calculating the gestation age to use SP (P = 0.001) and knowledge of the minimum dosage of SP required during pregnancy (P<0.001). Those who took SP between 20 weeks to 24 weeks gestations had 2-fold likelyhood to receive three doses of SP during pregnancy (aOR=1.7, 95% CI 0.29-10.52) Conclusion This study has found low uptake of three doses of IPTp-SP in the study area. To increase coverage, regular supportive supervision on adherence to IPTp-SP policies vi and guidelines is necessary. Gestational age at first ANC visit, frequency and distance from the health facility determines uptake of 3 dosages of IPTp-SP It is evident that efforts should be directed towards early and more frequent ANC visits and outreach services such as community IPTp for facilities located far from communities which required further research to create more evidence