DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2017.v05i11.005

Pages: 800-803

WHO estimate demonstrates that geohelminthiasis accounts for more than 40% of the disease load amongst all tropical diseases. Helminthic infections are also common among pregnant women in low income countries with poor water supply and poor environmental sanitation. Helminthiasis can lead to adverse pregnancy outcome in terms of anemia, intrauterine growth restriction, and prematurity and low birth weight. This study was undertaken to study the prevalence and type of worm infestation in pregnancy. This prospective cross sectional hospital based study is conducted at a tertiary health care center in north eastern India. Study included100 asymptomatic pregnant women attending antenatal OPD whose parasitic examination of stool was done. Helminthiasis was found in 17% of the women studied. 15% infected women had single helminthic infestation and 2% women had double helminthic infestation. Ascarislumbricoides was the most common helminth detected (76.5%). This study reveals that there is a high prevalence of helminthic infestation in pregnant women. Andin such a situation in order to decrease the rate of anemia and malnutrition attributed to worm infestation deworming of pregnant women after first trimester can be consider besides health education.