Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care at public health facilities in Lalo Kile district, Oromia, Western Ethiopia

Abstract Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care at public health facilities in Lalo Kile district, Oromia, Western Ethiopia. Results: Out of the 315 respondents, the mean age was 24.7 ± 2.54 years ranging between 15-44 years. The majority of the respondents were Oromo in ethnicity (90.2%) and protestant in religion (83.2%) and almost all (99%) of the study participants were married. Two hundred twenty-six (72%) of pregnant women were attended at least primary school and two hundred forty-six (78.1%) of the respondents were from farmer households. About half of the households (51.7%) had a monthly income of greater than 35 USD. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection was 138(43.8%) with the predominance of hookworm (33.7%) followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (7.3%). Being a farmer [AOR, 95% CI 7.3 (1.46, 37.00), P = 0.03], walking barefooted [AOR, 95% CI 6.13 (1.98, 19.00), P = 0.002] and absence of proper handwashing after latrine [AOR, 95% CI 5.36 (1.78, 16.00), P = 0.003] were significantly associated with occurrence of the intestinal parasitic infection. Keywords: Prevalence, Intestinal parasitic infection, pregnant women, Lalo Kile district