TY - JOUR AU - Al-Rukeimi, Abdullah AD AU - Al-Hatami, Sameera Mohammad Mahdi AU - AL-Danany, Dheya A. AU - Al-Shamahy, Hassan Abdulwahab AU - Al Rukeimi, Raghad Abdullah Ali PY - 2020/07/15 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH VULVOVAGINAL CANDIDIASIS DURING PREGNANCY IN SANA'A, YEMEN JF - Universal Journal of Pharmaceutical Research JA - Univ J Pharm Res VL - 5 IS - 3 SE - Research Articles DO - 10.22270/ujpr.v5i3.407 UR - https://www.ujpr.org/index.php/journal/article/view/407 SP - AB - <p><strong>Background and objective:</strong> Women at pregnancy are further susceptible to vaginal colonization and yeast infection. The responsibility of <em>Candida</em> colonization in the incidence of preterm birth is correctly established. Knowing regional epidemiology and identifying risk factors of preterm birth are important for management and preventive strategies. The aim of the study was to reveal the prevalence of <em>Candida</em> species in vaginal swabs of pregnant women and determine odds ratio of risks for vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC).</p><p><strong>Methods:</strong>  <strong><em> </em></strong>Pregnant women attendance routine antenatal visits in Al-Olify –family Center in Sana'a city were registered into a cross-sectional study carried out from June 2018 to March 2019. The laboratory works were carried out in the National Center of Public Laboratories (NCPHL). Samples of vaginal swabs were taken from contributors after obtaining oral consent. The classification of the <em>Candida</em> species was done by culture on HiCrome <em>Candida</em> Differential Agar at 35 °C for 48 h for making of species-specific colors. Data of demographic, clinical and risk factors were collected in a pre-designed questionnaire.</p><p><strong>Results:</strong> A total of 190 pregnant women are included. The rate of VVC was 51.6%. <em>Candida albicans</em> accounted for 39.5% and non-<em>Candida albicans </em>accounted for 12.1% of isolates, mainly <em>C. glabrata</em> (4.7%), <em>C. lipolytica</em> (3.2%), and <em>C. famata</em> (2.1%). When VVC risk factors were considered, there were significant risk factors with the age group 20-24 years (61%, odds ratio (OR) = 1.8), first trimester of pregnancy (61.1%, OR = 1.7), Multipara of  parity (61.8%, OR = 1.9), low socioeconomic level (60.1%, OR =2.4), and illiteracy (68%, OR = 2.2). When clinical symptoms were considered, only 86.2% of affected females had clinical signs of VVC.</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> There is a high probable rate of VVC is found among pregnant women in Yemen, undiagnosed and unnoticed; and this highlights the need for health authorities to develop strategies for diagnosing VVC, including vaginal swabs for candidiasis as a routine procedure for all pregnant women. This study also revealed a steady increase in time with a non-<em>C.</em> <em>albicans</em> species  prevalence rate. VVC syndrome management guidelines in Yemen should be revised to include a special protocol for pregnant women.</p><p>                                      <img src="https://ujpr.org/public/site/images/dd/Webp.net-gifmaker(5)_.gif" /></p><p><a href="https://scholar.google.co.in/scholar?oi=bibs&amp;hl=en&amp;cites=11411207306437737193" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img src="https://ujpr.org/public/site/images/drkk/Google_scholar_image21.JPG" /></strong></a></p><p><strong>Peer Review History: </strong></p><p><strong>Received</strong> 1 May 2020; <strong>Revised</strong> 5 June; <strong>Accepted</strong> 6 July, <strong>Available online</strong> 15 July 2020</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Academic Editor:</strong> <strong>Dr. Muhammad Zahid Iqbal<sub><a href="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7486-9479" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://ujpr.org/public/site/images/editor/orcid22.jpg" /></a></sub></strong>, AIMST University, Malaysia, <em>drmmziqbal@gmail.com</em></p><p><strong>Received file:<a href="http://ujpr.org/2020/5-3-r1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://ujpr.org/public/site/images/drkk/blue_23983.gif" /></a>                Reviewer's Comments:<a href="http://ujpr.org/2020/5-3-r1-comments.doc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://ujpr.org/public/site/images/drkk/download_logo_r_29189.gif" /></a></strong></p><p><strong>Average Peer review marks at initial stage:</strong> 5.5/10</p><p><strong>Average Peer review marks at publication stage:</strong> 8.0/10</p><p><strong>Reviewer(s) detail:</strong></p><p><strong>Dr. Michael Otakhor Erhunmwunse<a href="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8082-3626" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://ujpr.org/public/site/images/editor/orcid2.jpg" /></a></strong>,<strong> </strong>BTU – Cottbus, Germany, dedoctor4life@yahoo.com</p><p> <strong>Dr. Mohamed Awad Mousnad<a href="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2680-2450" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://ujpr.org/public/site/images/editor/orcid2.jpg" /></a></strong>,<strong> </strong> Faculty of Pharmacy, International University of Africa (IUA), Khartoum, Sudan, m_abdalaziz@yahoo.com</p><p> <strong>Similar Articles:</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.ujpr.org/index.php/journal/article/view/233" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TETANUS IMMUNIZATION AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN: COVERAGE RATE AND RATE OF PROTECTION AT TIME OF DELIVERY</a></p><p><a href="https://www.ujpr.org/index.php/journal/article/view/110" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AN EXHAUSTIVE STATISTIC ON CURRENT MUCOADHESIVE INTRAVAGINAL DRUG DELIVERY METHODOLOGIES</a></p> ER -