PREVALENCE OF VAGINAL CANDIDIASIS AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING ANTENATAL CARE IN DOMA HOSPITAL, GOMBE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Pregnant women commonly develop increased vaginal discharge which may lead to pregnancy
complications like abortions, premature birth, low birth weight and other morbidities. This
study was aimed to determine the occurrence of vaginal candidiasis among pregnant women
attending antenatal care in Doma Hospital Gombe, Nigeria. A total of fifty (50) pregnant
women were examined. Samples of high vaginal swabs were collected from each patient and
tested by microscopic examination then cultured on Sabouraud Dextrose agar [SDA]. Colonial
morphology, wet preparation, gram staining, germ tube test, were carried out for identification
of the isolated organisms. From the total fifty (50) samples collected and examined for candida,
thirty-eight (38) (76%) showed positive while twelve (12) (24%) showed negative. The isolates
obtained were related to number of pregnancy (gravidae), 25(65.5%) were multi-gravidae
while 13(25.5%) were primigravidae. The result of this study revealed that pregnant women in
the second trimester of pregnancy had the highest incidence of candidiasis 20(52.5%), followed
by third trimester 12(31.5%) while the least 6(16%) was obtained in first trimester.
Furthermore, age between 21-25 years had highest occurrence of Candida albicans 15(39.5%),
followed by age between 26-30 years 10(26.5%), age 31-35 had 7(18.5%) where age between
16-20 years had the least occurrence 6(15.5%).The results of this study revealed a high
occurrence of vaginal candidiasis among pregnant women and this may be due to contributing
factors poor personal hygiene during pregnancy, poor dietary habit, wearing of tight-fitting
synthetic underclothing, shortage of effective treatment, high sexual activities during
pregnancy, change in pH of the vagina