Traditional birth home attendance and its implications for malaria control during pregnancy in Nigeria

A longitudinal survey was carried out to assess prevalence of malaria infection among attendees of a traditional birth home (TBH) in the metropolis of Abeokuta, Nigeria. Malaria prevalence was 62.4%, and various degrees of anaemia were recorded in 80.3% of pregnant women. Patronage by pregnant teenagers was 10.8%, with all of them anaemic and 73.9% infected with malarial parasites. Knowledge of malaria transmission and prevention were generally poor, with the emphasis placed on exposure to direct rays and heat from the sun. Avoidance of the sun's heat was therefore considered to be an effective preventive measure; another was the consumption of specially prepared and packaged herbal tea, which the pregnant women were expected to drink daily. Only 36.3% of the women associated malaria infection with mosquito bites. The use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) was not recorded among the women, although a large proportion (91.3%) showed a willingness to buy ITNs. The cost of receiving antenatal care at the TBH was higher than that in public hospitals. Patronage of TBHs was observed to be linked more with cultural beliefs than poverty. This study suggests that there is a need to extend malaria control interventions to women attending TBHs.