Abstract:
Abstract
Background: Melasma is a common cause of facial disfiguring among pregnant women. This
condition has huge aesthetic impact and psychological distress on women particularly among
pregnant. Even though, knowledge on its extent and factors will help for possible interventions;
there was no any information on issue so far in the area.
Objective: The aim of this research was to determine the prevalence and associated factors of
Melasma among pregnant women at antenatal care clinic at the University of Gondar
Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed among pregnant women who attend antenatal
care at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. A total of 403 participates
were interviewed. Epi info version 7 for data entry and SPSS version 25 software for data
analysis was used. Descriptive and analytical statistics was carried out. To identify independent
factors of Melasma bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regression was applied. Statistical
significance was considered at p-value <0.05.
Result: The total number of study participants were 403 among them230 (57.07%) were in the
age group of 26 to 35 years and only 25 (6.2%) were above 35 years, 189(46.9%) had irregular
mensuration, 37.47%,52.36%and 10.17% had 1 to 2,3to 4 and >4 family size respectively and
88.09% of women were food makers. Prevalence of Melasma was found to be 175(43.42%) with
(95CI, 38.64%-48.33%). Women’s age (26 to 35) (AOR=2.33, 95%CI, 1.34-4.05) and above 35
(AOR=5.51, 95%CI, 1.70-17.87), family size (3 to 4) (AOR=2.12,95%CI, 1.21- 3.7) gestational
age?16 weeks (AOR=0.11,95CI, 0.03-0.38) and ?37 weeks (AOR=2.29,955CI,1.30-4.03),
Menstrual irregularity (AOR=2.08, 95%CI, 1.27-3.38), Being food maker (AOR=2.54, 95%CI,
1.14-5.64) and Using electricity as energy source (AOR=0.40, 95%CI, 0.23- 0.70).
Conclusion: In this study the prevalence of Melasma was high and majority of cases were Centro
–facial .Older age, increased family size, later gestational age, menstrual irregularity, using
electricity as energy source for food making were significant factors for Melasma development.
Further researches are better to be done on the effect of electricity on Melasma.
Keywords: prevalence, associated factors, Melasma, pregnant women, Antenatal care
and northwest Ethiop
