Impact of Community Intermittent Preventive Treatment in Pregnancy (C-IPTp) approach on the uptake of IPTp3+: a randomized controlled trial in Karagwe, Tanzania

Abstract

Background: The low uptake of Intermittent Preventive Treatment in Pregnancy (IPTp) during pregnancy leads to millions of pregnant women who are not protected from malaria, hence contributing to preventable maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.
Objective: To determine the impact of the Community IPTp approach on increasing uptake of 3 or more doses of IPTp (IPTp3+).
Method: Pregnant women in the intervention group received SulphadoxinePyrimethamine (SP) in the community. The control group continued to receive the IPTp at the health facility during routine antenatal care (ANC). All pregnant women received IPTp by Directly observed treatment (DOT).
Results: Of the pregnant women in the intervention group, 98.5%received IPTp3+ compared to 55.7% in the control group.
Conclusion: C-IPTp is an effective approach of increasing the uptake of IPTp3+ among pregnant women compared to using routine ANC visits.

Key words: IPTp3+, Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine, Tanzania, pregnancy, malaria