Abstract
Background: Syphilis is an infectious, sexually transmitted disease caused by the Spirochete Treponema palladium. Untreated maternal syphilis causes adverse pregnancy outcomes such as spontaneous miscarriage, low birth weight, neonatal death, and congenital syphilis. This is a limited case control study to identify determinants of syphilis infections at the study area.
Objectives: The aim of this study is to identify determinants of syphilis infections among pregnant women attending ANC clinic at Public hospital in South West Shoa, Ethiopia, 2023.
Methods: A facility based unmatched case-control study among 240 women (48 case and 192 control) with 1:4 ratios were conducted from March 10, 2023–May 20, 2023, among pregnant women attending antenatal care follow up at public hospital, South West Shoa. Cases were selected by convenience and systematic sampling techniques were employed to select control and data was collected by using structured and pretested questionnaire. The collected data were entered into Epi info version 7.2.2 and exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Variables having p-value <0.25 in the bi-variable analysis were entered into logistic regression model for multi variable analysis. Statistical significance was declared at p-value <0.05. Adjusted odd ratio along with 95% confidence interval was used to show strength of association. The results were presented using text, tables, and graphs.
Results: In this study 235 women (47 cases and 188 controls) had completed the interview resulting in a response rate of 97.92%. After multivariable logistic regression analysis, significantly associated factors with syphilis infection were status of current pregnancy [AOR = 2.697, 95% CI (1.003-7.249, ANC follow-up [AOR = 4.556, 95% CI (1.759-11.80)], history of STI [AOR = 3.080, 95% CI (1.347-7.043)], alcohol intake [AOR = 3.965, 95% CI (1.56-10.078)], age at first sexual intercourse [AOR = 8.951, 95% CI (3.70-21.646)], and multiple sexual partners [AOR = 2.754, 95% CI (1.065-7.118)].
Conclusion: Status of current pregnancy, ANC follow-up, history of STI, alcohol intake, age at first sexual intercourse, and multiple sexual partners were variables significantly associated with syphilis infections among pregnant women. Therefore, health care providers and managers should focus to give health education on these determinants, and strengthening early diagnosis and treatment for syphilis infections among pregnant women.
Keywords
Syphilis infection, Pregnant women, Public hospitals, South West Shoa Zone