{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,4]],"date-time":"2026-05-04T05:15:38Z","timestamp":1777871738942,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]],"date-time":"2026-04-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1777507200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosntds.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS Negl Trop Dis"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec101\">\n                    <jats:title\/>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Anemia remains a significant global public health challenge, affecting approximately 25% of the world\u2019s population and disproportionately impacting pregnant women, with an estimated 40% prevalence worldwide. Intestinal helminth infections exacerbate this burden, with anemia prevalence reported as high as 55.6% among infected pregnant women compared to 16.4% in those uninfected. This study aimed to determine the burden of anemia and its determinants among pregnant women with helminthiasis attending antenatal care at tertiary Hospitals in western Uganda. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 1\n                      <jats:sup>st<\/jats:sup>\n                      November 2022\u20131\n                      <jats:sup>st<\/jats:sup>\n                      March 2023, enrolling 420 pregnant women diagnosed with helminthiasis attending antenatal clinics. Data were collected via interviewer-administered questionnaires and laboratory records. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed using IBM SPSS version 23 to identify factors independently associated with anemia. Results: The prevalence of anemia was 26.2% (95% CI: 22.2\u201330.6), with 39.1% (95% CI: 30.5\u201348.4) mild, 35.5% (95% CI: 27.1\u201344.7) moderate, and 25.5% (95% CI: 18.2\u201334.3) severe cases. Multivariate analysis showed that moderate and heavy hookworm intensities increased anemia risk nearly two-fold (aOR = 1.90, 95% CI: 1.16\u20133.54; p\u2009=\u20090.028) and 2.4-fold (aOR = 2.40, 95% CI: 1.06\u20135.41; p\u2009=\u20090.041), respectively. Protective factors included being a student (aOR = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.05\u20130.63; p\u2009=\u20090.008), deworming \u22653 months prior (aOR = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.01\u20130.88; p\u2009=\u20090.038), using borehole water (aOR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.36\u20131.00; p\u2009=\u20090.048), and gestational age 14\u201327 weeks (aOR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.35\u20130.92; p\u2009=\u20090.020). Conclusions: Maternal anemia showed a clear dose\u2013response with hookworm intensity, with risk increasing from moderate to heavy infection. Delayed deworming and unsafe water increased odds, whereas being a student and second-trimester gestation were protective. Timely anthelminthic treatment, improved water access, and strengthened antenatal care are critical in endemic settings.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0014277","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]],"date-time":"2026-04-30T17:29:38Z","timestamp":1777570178000},"page":"e0014277","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Maternal anemia in helminth-infected pregnant women: Dose\u2013response with hookworm intensity and other risk factors in a Ugandan cross-sectional study"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"given":"Geoffrey","family":"Akena","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Marie Pascaline Sabine","family":"Ishimwe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Theodore","family":"Nteziyaremye","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Maxwell","family":"Okello","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ahmed Kiswezi","family":"Kazigo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9282-5733","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Theoneste","family":"Hakizimana","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]]},"reference":[{"issue":"1","key":"pntd.0014277.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"16","DOI":"10.1186\/s13643-022-01884-w","article-title":"The prevalence, risk factors and outcomes of anaemia in South African pregnant women: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"11","author":"V Dorsamy","year":"2022","journal-title":"Syst Rev"},{"issue":"11","key":"pntd.0014277.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"12116","DOI":"10.7196\/SAMJ.2017.v107i11.12894","article-title":"An approach to anaemia diagnosis - concerns in primary care","volume":"107","author":"N Alli","year":"2017","journal-title":"S Afr Med J"},{"key":"pntd.0014277.ref003","first-page":"1","article-title":"Factors influencing the prevalence of anaemia among pregnant women in western Uganda","volume":"2018","author":"B Ainebyoona","year":"2022","journal-title":"Stud J Health Res Afr"},{"key":"pntd.0014277.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.3390\/microorganisms10051027","article-title":"Soil-Transmitted Helminths and Anaemia: A Neglected Association Outside the Tropics","volume":"10","author":"S Caldrer","year":"2022","journal-title":"Microorganisms"},{"issue":"9","key":"pntd.0014277.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"899","DOI":"10.1016\/j.trstmh.2007.03.017","article-title":"Associations between mild-to-moderate anaemia in pregnancy and helminth, malaria and HIV infection in Entebbe, Uganda","volume":"101","author":"L Muhangi","year":"2007","journal-title":"Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg"},{"key":"pntd.0014277.ref006","first-page":"1","article-title":"Prevalence of anemia and associated factors among pregnant women in Adigrat General","volume":"12","author":"B Berhe","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMC Research Notes"},{"issue":"9","key":"pntd.0014277.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0000291","article-title":"Hookworm-related anaemia among pregnant women: a systematic review","volume":"2","author":"S Brooker","year":"2008","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"5","key":"pntd.0014277.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1958","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.20-0503","article-title":"Maternal Hookworm Infection and Its Effects on Maternal Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis","volume":"103","author":"TE Ness","year":"2020","journal-title":"Am J Trop Med Hyg"},{"key":"pntd.0014277.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"799","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMra032492","article-title":"Hookworm Infection","volume":"351","author":"PJ Hotez","year":"2004","journal-title":"N Engl J Med"},{"key":"pntd.0014277.ref010","volume-title":"Deworming in pregnant women","author":"WHO","year":"2023"},{"key":"pntd.0014277.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Demeke G, Mengistu G, Abebaw A, Toru M, Yigzaw IDM, Shiferaw A. 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