Screening for Syphilis, HIV, and hemoglobin during pregnancy in Moshi municipality, Tanzania: How is the health system performing (Short Communication)

Citation: 
Johnson Katanga, Melina Mgongo, Tamara Hashim, Babill Stray-Pedersen, Sia E. Msuya
Publication year: 
2015

The aim of the study was to determine the proportion of pregnant women that was tested for HIV, syphilis and hemoglobin during routine antenatal care in Moshi municipality, Tanzania. A cross sectional study was conducted in October 2013 – March 2014. Pregnant women in their 3rd trimester who were attending for routine antenatal care at Pasua and Majengo health centers were enrolled. Interviews were done to determine if women were tested for the 3 tests mentioned in earlier pregnancy, prior to the study followed by clinical examination and sample collection to test for HIV, syphilis and Hb. Data were entered and analyzed by using SPSS. A total of 536 women were enrolled. Despite being in the third trimester and had attended for routine antenatal care several times, the majority of pregnant women were not screened for syphilis (89.4%), (28.6%) were not screened for hemoglobin level and only 1% reported not to be screened for HIV. Three hundred and sixty three participants (87.9%) reported to have received iron supplement.