Malaria disease has been a major public health concern in Nigeria especially in pregnant women and children. In this study, peripheral blood samples of 330 volunteers attending anti-natal clinic at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria were collected and examined to determine the prevalence of malaria parasitaemia among pregnant women according to trimesters and to determine the relationship between malaria parasitaemia and anaemia in pregnancy according to trimesters. Thick and thin film of the blood samples were made, stained with Leishman (thin film) and Geimsa (thick film) and examined microscopically. Rapid diagnostic tests were also done to check for the presence of malaria antigen using commercially available malaria test strips. The blood level was estimated by the haematocrit method. Forty five(45) (16.1%) of the pregnant subjects were infected with malaria parasite hence an overall prevalence of 16.1%., , primigravidae infection accounts for 8.2% of total infection whereas multigravidae accounts for 7.9%. A total of 6.1% of the infected women were in their first trimester. 4.3% of the women also were in their second trimester while 5.7% were in their third trimester. The haematocrit of the pregnant women showed that. 35% of the primigravidae had severe anaemia, 57% had mild anaemia while 7.8% had normal haematocrit values. Among the multigravidae, 7.8% had severe anaemia, 79% had mild anaemia and 13.2% had normal heamatocrit values The study showed a low prevalence of parasitaemia among pregnant women in ISTH, Irrua, Edo State. Primigravidae women had a higher prevalence of parasitaemia than multigravidae women. We therefore recommend that more prophylactic measures should be taken to ensure the reduction to a minimal level. Public enlightenment should also be carried out on the dangers of malaria to the health of pregnant women and their unborn babies.
