Vaginal specimens were collected from three hundred pregnant women
attending pre-natal visits in three selected hospitals in Nnewi, Anambra
State, Nigeria. All pregnant patients were considered throughout the period
of the study, that is, total sampling having obtained an informed consent from
them. Ninety patients were positive for vaginal candidiasis thus, giving a
prevalence rate of 30%. The pregnant women aged 26 to 30 recorded the
highest prevalence (13.669; df = 5) which is statistically significant
(p<0.05). The women who were in their third trimester of pregnancy were
mostly infected (6.163; df = 2) and the infection status was highly significant
(p<0.05). The symptomatic and asymptomatic patients were uniformly
exposed to the Candida infection hence, there was no significant difference
between them (p>0.05). Further stratification of the pregnant women
according to their parity revealed that Candida infection decreases with
parity and is significantly higher in pregnant women who are in their first or
second pregnancy p0-1. Consideration of the socio-economic status of the
women in terms of vaginal candidiasis showed no significant difference
(p>0.05). The findings of the present study were discussed.