Seasonal Burden of Malaria Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care in Cape Coast, Ghana (2019 to 2021): A Retrospective Surveillance Report

Abstract Background Malaria during pregnancy contributes to maternal anemia and adverse birth outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa. This study assessed seasonal malaria burden among pregnant women in Cape Coast, Ghana, during 2019-2021. Methods Retrospective surveillance analysis of pregnant women attending Cape Coast Teaching Hospital. Malaria was diagnosed by microscopy, and hemoglobin levels were measured. Seasonal trends and demographic characteristics were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. Results Among 334 pregnant women, 294 (88.0%) were tested for malaria. Overall prevalence was 2.04% (6/294; 95% CI: 0.75-4.41%), exclusively Plasmodium falciparum . Prevalence was higher in the dry season (2.26%) than wet season (1.27%), with 67% of cases in Q4 2021. Mean age was 35.0 ± 5.1 years, and 79.4% presented in third trimester. Anemia (Hb