• S Donath Tarimo.
• Medical Parasitology & Entomology, School of Public Health & Social Sciences, Muhimbili Uuiversity of Health & Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. dtarimo@muchs.ac.tz
• East Afr J Public Health. 2007 Oct 1; 4 (2): 80-3.

ObjectiveTo appraise the prevalence of malaria and anaemia in antenatal mothers; and explore the factors influencing coverage of intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) under operational conditions in the national programme for malaria control in pregnancy.DesignDescriptive cross-sectional survey.SettingThe reproductive and child health clinic in Kibaha district hospital, Tanzania SUBECTS: Pregnant mothers on routine antenatal visitsMain Outcome MeasuresPrevalence of malaria (peripheral parasitaemia) and anaemia, coverage of IPT with SP and the factors influencing coverage.ResultsA total of 395 mothers were recruited; 27.3% had malaria. Moderate anaemia i.e. haemoglobin (Hb) level 8. -10.9 g/dl was detected in 56.7% of mothers; 34.2% had severe anaemia (Hb < 8.0 g/dl). Hb > 8.0 g/dl was strongly associated with negative parasitaemia while Hb < 8.0 gidl was strongly associated with positive parasitaemia. About a third (40.0%) of the mothers did not receive SP for IPT

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