Objective. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of antenatal mebendazole plus iron supplementation versus placebo plus iron supplementation on birthweight in a highly hookworm-endemic area. / Methods. This study was a double-blind randomized controlled trial set in rural and peri-urban communities in the Peruvian Amazon region. A total of 1042 second trimester pregnant women between the ages of 18 and 44 years were recruited from April to November 2003, and followed to July 2004. Women were randomly assigned to receive either mebendazole (500 mg single dose) plus iron supplements (60 mg elemental iron daily) or placebo plus iron supplements. The primary outcome was mean infant birthweight and secondary measures included proportion of low birthweight (<2500g) and maternal anemia. Adverse birth outcomes were also recorded. / Results. The prevalence of hookworm infection was 47.5%. There were no differences between intervention groups in mean birthweight (3104 g vs 3090 g, p=0.629), proportion of low birthweight (8.1% vs 8.7%, p=0.755) or maternal anemia in the 3rd trimester (33.0% (158/479) vs 32.3% (152/471), p=0.815). However, the proportion of very low birthweight (<1500g) was significantly lower in the mebendazole group (0% (0/479) vs 1.5% (7/471), p=0.007). No statistically significant difference (p=0.664) in adverse birth outcomes (miscarriages, malformations, stillbirths, early neonatal deaths and premature babies) was found between the mebendazole group and the placebo group (28 versus 31, respectively). / Conclusion. This trial provides additional evidence for the use of anthelminthics, over and above iron supplementation, within antenatal care programs in hookworm-endemic areas.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.102669 |
| Date | January 2006 |
| Creators | Larocque, Renée, 1975- |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Doctor of Philosophy (Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.) |
| Rights | © Renée Larocque, 2006 |
| Relation | alephsysno: 002566104, proquestno: AAINR27806, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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