Introduction
Intermittent preventive treatment with
Sulphadoxine + Pyrimethamine is a strategy to prevent
malaria in pregnancy (NMCP/M.O.H (2012) when
Sulphadoxine + Pyrimethamine is administered to
pregnant mothers in second and third trimesters. The
study identified factors affecting utilization of IPTp
among mothers attending antenatal services in
Kabuyanda HCVI, which remained at 70% (Isingiro
district Planning Unit 2017).
Methods:
A cross sectional study was done. 323 Pregnant
Mothers aged between 15-49 years attending antenatal
care were sampled on exit, and interviewed. The
association between the outcome variable was tested using
chi-square (x2) and odds ratio, P-value≤0.05 was
considered significant.
Results:
Pregnant mothers between (26-43 years) were
almost two times more likely to go for IPTp (OR=1.7,
95%CI=1.01-2.7, P value=0.04) than younger ones, while
married women were twice more likely to go for IPTp
compared to pregnant mothers not married (OR=2.3,
95% CI=1.05-5.2, P value=0.03), nevertheless pregnant
mothers who ever heard of IPTp services were twice more
likely to go for IPTp services compared to those who had
no information about the service (OR=0.5, 95%CI=0.3-
0.9, P value=0.03 and mothers who came to clinic and left
without Sulphadoxine + Pyrimethamine were 3.3 times
less likely to utilize services (OR=3.3, CI=1.9-5.8, P
value=0.000). However, other factors like time spent and
language used during service delivery were also
mentioned for low utilization of IPTp services.
Conclusion:
Utilization of IPTp-1, IPTp-2 and IPT-3 in
Kabuyanda HCIV is low compared to National average,
Age, Marital Status and Knowledge about the benefits of
Sulphadoxine + Pyrimethamine as well as Missed
opportunities were significant factors influencing
utilization of IPT services. Time spent and language used
at the clinic during service delivery also greatly
influenced utilization of Intermittent Preventive
Treatment of malaria during pregnancy at Health
Centre. However, more studies are needed to strut the
findings in Kabuyanda HCIV-Isingiro South Health
District –Isingiro district.
Keywords : Antenatal, Sulphadoxine+Pyrimethamine, Malaria, Pregnancy.