Bibliographic Info
GuidelineWHO recommendations on maternal health: guidelines approved by the WHO Guidelines Review Committee, second edition. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025
Year of Publication2023
Issuing InstitutionWorld Health Organization
Recommendation
Status
Updated
Context specific recommendation
Only in specific contexts
In endemic areas (greater than 20% prevalence of infection with any soil-transmitted helminths) a preventive anthelminthic treatment is recommended for pregnant women after the first trimester as part of worm infection reduction programmes
Notes and Remarks
- 1.This recommendation is consistent with the WHO Guideline: preventive chemotherapy to control soiltransmitted helminth infections in high-risk groups, which states that: “Preventive chemotherapy (deworming), using single-dose albendazole (400 mg) or mebendazole (500 mg) is recommended as a public health intervention for pregnant women, after the first trimester, living in areas where both: (1) the baseline prevalence of hookworm and/or T. trichiura infection is 20% or more and (2) where anaemia is a severe public health problem, with prevalence of 40% or higher among pregnant women, in order to reduce the burden of hookworm and T. trichiura infection (conditional recommendation, moderate quality of evidence).”
- 2.Endemic areas are areas where the prevalence of hookworm and/or whipworm infection is 20% or more.
- 3.Anaemia is considered a severe public health problem when the prevalence among pregnant women is 40% or higher.
- 4.Infected pregnant women in non-endemic areas should receive anthelminthic treatment in the second or third trimester on a case-by-case basis. A single dose of albendazole (400 mg) or mebendazole (500 mg) should be used
- 5.The safety of these drugs in pregnancy has not been unequivocally established; however, the benefits are considered to outweigh the disadvantages.
- 6.WHO recommends a treatment strategy comprising two treatments per year in high-risk settings with a prevalence of 50% for soil-transmitted helminthiasis, and once per year in areas with a 20–50% prevalence.
- 7.For further guidance on soil-transmitted helminth infections, refer to the WHO Guideline: preventive chemotherapy to control soil-transmitted helminth infections in high-risk groups (currently in press)