https://doi.org/10.4081/acbr.2023.324

Awareness and uptake of pre-conceptional genotype screening among pregnant women in South-South Nigeria

Vol. 4 No. 2 (2023)
Submitted: 22 March 2023
Accepted: 22 May 2023
Published: 7 September 2023
Ultrasonography, fetal gender, pre-conceptional genotype
Abstract Views: 591
PDF: 313
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Authors

Ngozi Roy Maduka
roymaduka@yahoo.com
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-0451-2635
Central Hospital Agbor, Delta State, Nigeria.
Paul O. Okubor
Central Hospital Warri, Delta State, Nigeria.

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is an inheritable genetic disease occurring worldwide. Nigeria is regarded as the epicenter of the disease, with a high number of SCD babies born annually. The risk of having an SCD baby remains high once there is a union between two heterozygous couple; therefore, it is imperative for intending couples to know their genotypes before marriage and conception. Currently, it is only the churches that insist on genotype before marriage. The result subsequently is a marriage between a heterozygous couple with a high possibility of the birth of an SCD baby. This cross-sectional study surveyed 430 consecutive consenting antenatal clinic clients presenting for booking in Central Hospital, Agbor, Delta State, Nigeria. The women completed a questionnaire with sections on sociodemographic attributes, awareness of their SCD and their genotype, awareness of their partner’s genotype, source of information, and ways to improve uptake of preconception genotype screening. The age range 25-34 years constituted 68.1% of the study population, with the majority of them (95.1%) of the Christian faith. Married women form 90.1% of the participants. Only 55.1% of the participants were aware of their genotype before conception. Higher education, being a Christian, marital status, and the type of marriage significantly affected patients’ awareness of their genotype. The majority of them heard about genotype screening from a health professional (30.5%), while the commonest reasons why many of them did genotype screening were for school admission 13.3%, for knowledge’s sake (12.1%) and as a requirement for marriage (24.7%). Some of the ways suggested to help increase the uptake of genotype screening include community meetings, text and WhatsApp messages, television and radio messages. Despite the fact that Nigeria remains the epicenter of SCD in the world, the uptake of preconception genotype screening is still low. The government, health workers, churches and marriage counselors, and the community have a major role to play in increasing the awareness and uptake of preconception genotype screening.

Dimensions

Altmetric

PlumX Metrics

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Citations

Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC
Inusa BPD, Hsu LL, Kohli N, et al. Sickle Cell Disease-Genetics, Pathophysiology, Clinical Presentation and Treatment. Int J Neonatal Screen 2019;5:20. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijns5020020
United Nations General Assembly. Recognition of sickle-cell anemia as a public health
problem. 2009. Available from: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/644334
Wastnedge E, Waters D, Patel S, et al. The global burden of sickle cell disease in children under five years of age: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Glob Health 2018;8:021103. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7189/jogh.08.021103
Aygun B, Odame I. A global perspective on sickle cell disease. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012;59:386–90, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pbc.24175
Piel FB, Patil AP, Howes RE, et al. Global epidemiology of sickle haemoglobin in neonates: a contemporary geostatistical model-based map and population estimates. Lancet 2013;381:142–51. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61229-X
Adekile AD, Adeodu OO, Adegoke SA. Haemoglobinopathies. In: Azubike JC, Nkanginieme KEO (eds). Paediatrics and child health in a tropical Region. 3rd ed. Lagos, Nigeria: Educational Printing and Publishing; 2016. p.1051–65.
Galadanci N, Wudil BJ, Balogun TM, et al. Current sickle cell disease management practices in Nigeria. Int Health 2014;6:23–8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/iht022
Taiwo IA, Oloyede OA, Dosumu AO. Frequency of sickle cell genotype among the Yorubas in Lagos: implications for the level of awareness and genetic counseling for sickle cell disease in Nigeria. J Community Genet 2011;2:13–8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12687-010-0033-x
Okpala IE. Epidemiology, genetics and pathophysiology of sickle cell disease. In: Okpala IE, editor. Practical Management of Haemoglobinopathies. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing Ltd; 2004. p. 20–5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470988398.ch3
World Health Organization. Fifty-Ninth World Health Assembly. 2006. Available from: https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA59-REC1/e/WHA59_2006_REC1-en.pdf
World Health Organization. Sickle-Cell Disease: A Strategy for the WHO African Region. 2010. Available from: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/1682
Diwe K, Iwu AC, Uwakwe K, et al. Prevalence and patterns of sickle cell disease among children attending tertiary and non-tertiary health care institutions in a South Eastern state, Nigeria: A 10-year survey. J Res Med Dent Sci 2016;4:183-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5455/jrmds.2016432
Ambe JP, Mava Y, Chama R, et al. Clinical features of sickle cell anaemia in northern Nigerian children. West Afr J Med 2012;31:81-5.
Weil LG, Charlton MR, Coppinger C, et al. Sickle cell disease
and thalassaemia antenatal screening programme in England over 10 years: a review from 2007/2008 to 2016/2017. J Clin Pathol 2020;73:183–90. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/jclinpath-2019-206317
Bakare YT, Ogunlaja OA, Bobo T, et al. An appraisal of routine Antenatal laboratory parameters at booking in Bowen University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State Nigeria. Trop J of Health Sci 2022;29. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/tjhc.v29i1.2
Okagbue I. Pregnancy termination and the law in Nigeria. Stud Fam Plann 1990;21:197-208. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1966614
Gabriel OO, Matthew CO. Knowledge, attitudeand practice of premarital Counselling for sicklecell disease among youth in Yaba, Nigeria. Afr J Reprod Health 2013;17:175-82.
Memish ZA, Saeedi MY. Six-year outcome of the national premarital screening and genetic counseling program for sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia in Saudi Arabia. Ann Saudi Med 2011;31:229-335. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5144/0256-4947.2011.229
Ezenwosu OU, Itanyi IU, Nnodu OE, et al. Community based screening for sickle haemoglobin among pregnant women in Benue State, Nigeria: I-Care-to-Know, a Healthy Beginning Initiative. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2021;21:498. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-021-03974-4
Alawode OA. Analysis of Non-Marital fertility in Nigeria and implication of intervention and future research. Soc Sci 2021;10:256. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci10070256
Bazuaye GN, Olayemi EE. Knowledge and attitude of Senior Secondary School Students in Benin City Nigeria to Sickle Cell Disease. World J Med Sci 2009;4:46–9.
Adewoyin AS, Alagbe AE, Adedokun BO, Idubor NT. Knowledge, attitude and control practices of sickle cell disease among youth corps members in Benin City Nigeria. Ann Ibadan Postgrad Med 2015;13:100–7.
Nnachi OC, Ugwu GC, Akpa CO, et al. Knowledge of Premarital Genotype Screening Among Women Receiving Care at a Tertiary Centre in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Haematol Int J 2022;6: 00207.
Isah BA, Musa Y, Mohammed UK, et al. Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Premarital Screening for Sickle Cell Disease among Students of State School of Nursing Sokoto. Ann. Int. Med. Den. Res 2016;2:29-34.
Cochran WG. Sampling techniques. 2nd ed. New York, USA: John Whiley and Sons Inc; 1963.
Oluomachi CN. Maternal knowledge of Sickle Cell Disease and its Predictors in Southeast Nigeria. J Bas Med Clin Sci 2022;1:31-8.
Acharya K, Lang CW, Ross LF. A pilot study to explore knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about sickle cell trait and disease. J Natl Med Assoc 2009;101:1163–72. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0027-9684(15)31113-5
Ameade EPK, Mohammed BS, Helegbe GK, Yakubu S. Sickle cell gene transmission: do public servants in Tamale, Ghana have the right knowledge and attitude to curb it? Open J Prev Med 2015;5:299-308. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4236/ojpm.2015.56033
Odunvbun ME, Okolo AA, Rahimy CM. Knowledge of sickle cell disease among parturint mothers in Benin City and their attitude to newborn screening. Ann Biomed Sci 2008;7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/abs.v7i1-2.43236
Gbeneol PK, Brisibe SF, Ordinioha B. Knowledge, Attitude and Uptake of Premarital Screening for the Sickle Trait Among Married Couples in a Semi-Urban Community in South-South Nigeria. European Journal of Preventive Medicine 2015;3:49-54. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ejpm.20150303.13
Criminal Code Act. Federal Republic of Nigeria Criminal Code 2022. Available from: https://jurist.ng/act/criminal_code_act
Abubakar S, Lawan UM, Mijinyawa MS, et al. (Perceptions about sickle cell disease and its prevention among undergraduates of tertiary institutions in Kano state, Nigeria. Niger J Clin Med 20120;3:22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/njcm.v3i1.56577
Dennis Antwi JA, Ohene Frempong K, Anie KF, et al. Relation Between Religious Perspectives and Views on Sickle Cell Disease Research and Associated Public Health Interventions in Ghana. J Genet Couns 2018;10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10897-018-0296-7
Labeit A, Peinemann F, Baker R. Utilisation of preventative health check-ups in the UK: findings from individual-level repeated cross-sectional data from 1992 to 2008. Br Med J. 2013;3:e003387. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2013-003387
Black LI, Nugent CN, Vahratian A. Access and Utilization of Selected Preventive Health Services Among Adolescents Aged 10–17. NCHS Data Brief 2016;246:1–8.
National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). 1999. Available from: https://www.nhis.gov.ng/About%20us/.
Kruk ME. Universal health coverage: a policy whose time has come. BMJ 2013;347. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f6360
Christianson A, Modell B. Medical genetics in developing countries. Annu. Rev. Genomics Hum. Genet 2004;5:219–65. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.genom.5.061903.175935
Odunvbun ME, Okolo AA, Rahimy CM. Newborn screening for sickle cell disease in a Nigerian hospital. Public Health 2008;122:1111–6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2008.01.008
Iweriebor OB. Knowledge, attitude and practice towards premarital/prenatal genetic testing among young people (15-45) years of age in Sapele local government area, Delta State, Nigeria. South American Journal of Academic Research 2015;2:3-4.
World Health Organization. Medical genetic services in developing countries. The Ethical, Legal and Social Implications of genetic testing and screening. Available from: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/43288
Ugwu NI. Pre-marital screening for sickle cell haemoglobin and genetic counseling: awareness and acceptability among undergraduate students of a Nigerian University. Int J Med Biomed Res 2016;5:43–9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14194/ijmbr.5.1.6

How to Cite

Maduka, N. R., & Okubor, P. O. (2023). Awareness and uptake of pre-conceptional genotype screening among pregnant women in South-South Nigeria. Annals of Clinical and Biomedical Research, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/acbr.2023.324
Copyright (c) 2023 the Author(s) Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

PAGEPress has chosen to apply the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) to all manuscripts to be published.