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Predictors of IPTp Uptake among Pregnant Women in the 2010-11 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (English) 

Document Type

Working Papers

Publication Topic(s)

Malaria

Country(s)

Zimbabwe

Survey

Zimbabwe DHS, 2010-11

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Chikwasha, Vasco, Isaac Phiri, Pugie Chimberengwa, Donewell Bangure, and Simbarashe Rusakaniko. 2014. Predictors of IPTp Uptake among Pregnant Women in the 2010-2011 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey. DHS Working Papers No. 112 (Zimbabwe Working Papers No. 13). Rockville, Maryland, USA: ICF International.

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Publication Date

August 2014

Publication ID

WP112

Abstract:

Background: The administration of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp) using sulfadoxine- pyrimethamine (SP) has been implemented in Zimbabwe for some time but the coverage has been low. This study seeks to find what the predictors of IPTp uptake are among pregnant women who gave birth in the 24 months preceding the 2010-2011 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS). The study compared uptake of IPTp nationally and in the IPTp targeted districts. IPTp targeted districts are the malaria zones in Zimbabwe, mainly districts bordering Mozambique and Zambia. Methods: The study consisted of secondary analysis of the 2010-2011 ZDHS data. The study population was all women age 15-49 who had a live birth in the two years preceding the survey and had at least one antenatal care (ANC) visit. Results: The proportion of women who had at least one IPTp dose in the national sample was significantly lower, at 15%, than in the IPTp targeted districts (p < 0.001), at 24%. In multivariate analysis, women’s age group and gestational age at first ANC visit were statistically significant in predicting uptake of two or more IPTp doses nationally, while in the IPTp target districts no factor was significantly associated with receiving two or more doses. Conclusions: The majority of pregnant women who gave birth in the two years preceding the survey did not receive SP for the prevention of malaria complication during pregnancy. There is a need for health education among women and communities on the importance of IPTp, and a need to book pregnancies early in the first trimester, inclusive of pregnant primigravidae mothers, to improve chances of pregnant women getting the recommended IPTp doses during pregnancy.