Factors associated with optimal uptake of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine in pregnancy: a facility-based cross-sectional study in the Ningo-Prampram district of Ghana (original) (raw)

Background: Malaria is endemic throughout Ghana, with children under five years and pregnant women being the most at risk of the severe form of the disease. The Ghana malaria control programme recommends a minimum of five doses of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy using sulphadoxine pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP). Available data show that IPTp-SP uptake in the Ningo-Prampram district is much lower than the regional and national averages. Method:A facility-based cross-sectional analytic study was conducted to assess client and service provider factors associated with uptake of five doses of SP using the mixed method. Results: A total of 457 nursing mothers who had delivered within a period of six months, aged 15- 45 years participated in the study. Uptake of five doses of SP was 15.3% (70/457) with 27 of the women (5.91%) not receiving any dose of SP. Among those who received the drug, 207 (48.14%) took the first dose at week 16 of gestation. The average number o...