02805nas a2200373   4500000000100000008004100001653002400042653001800066653003900084653001400123653001900137653001200156653001100168653001100179653001800190653001100208653001900219653001400238100001300252700001400265700001600279700001700295700001200312700001200324700001900336700001000355700002100365245010900386856009000495300001300585490000600598520181300604022001402417       2015                            d10aProspective Studies10aPrenatal Care10aPregnancy Complications, Parasitic10aPregnancy10aMotor Activity10aMalaria10aInfant10aHumans10aHelminthiasis10aFemale10aCohort Studies10aCognition1 aMireku M1 aBoivin MJ1 aDavidson LL1 aOuédraogo S1 aKoura G1 aAlao MJ1 aMassougbodji A1 aCot M1 aBodeau-Livinec F00aImpact of helminth infection during pregnancy on cognitive and motor functions of one-year-old children.  uhttp://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/asset?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pntd.0003463.PDF  ae00034630 v93 a<p><strong>OBJECTIVE: </strong>To determine the effect of helminth infection during pregnancy on the cognitive and motor functions of one-year-old children.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>Six hundred and thirty five singletons born to pregnant women enrolled before 29 weeks of gestation in a trial comparing two intermittent preventive treatments for malaria were assessed for cognitive and motor functions using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning, in the TOVI study, at twelve months of age in the district of Allada in Benin. Stool samples of pregnant women were collected at recruitment, second antenatal care (ANC) visit (at least one month after recruitment) and just before delivery, and were tested for helminths using the Kato-Katz technique. All pregnant women were administered a total of 600 mg of mebendazole (100 mg two times daily for 3 days) to be taken after the first ANC visit. The intake was not directly observed.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Prevalence of helminth infection was 11.5%, 7.5% and 3.0% at first ANC visit, second ANC visit and at delivery, respectively. Children of mothers who were infected with hookworms at the first ANC visit had 4.9 (95% CI: 1.3-8.6) lower mean gross motor scores compared to those whose mothers were not infected with hookworms at the first ANC visit, in the adjusted model. Helminth infection at least once during pregnancy was associated with infant cognitive and gross motor functions after adjusting for maternal education, gravidity, child sex, family possessions, and quality of the home stimulation.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSION: </strong>Helminth infection during pregnancy is associated with poor cognitive and gross motor outcomes in infants. Measures to prevent helminth infection during pregnancy should be reinforced.</p>
  a1935-2735