Assessment of Trichomonas vaginalis Infection and Bacterial Vaginosis Among Pregnant Women Attending Selected Hospitals in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria

Trichomonas vaginalis infection and bacterial vaginosis (BV) are common reproductive tract conditions that may contribute to adverse maternal and pregnancy outcomes, particularly in settings where access to laboratory diagnosis is limited. This cross-sectional study determined the prevalence of T. vaginalis infection and BV among pregnant women attending selected hospitals in Minna, Niger State, and assessed their socio-demographic and behavioural associations. A hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 500 pregnant women attending Jummai Babangida Aliyu Maternal and Neonatal Hospital and Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida Specialist Hospital, Minna. Participants were selected using a random sampling technique. Socio-demographic and behavioural data were obtained using a structured questionnaire. High vaginal swabs were collected aseptically. T. vaginalis was detected by wet mount microscopy, while BV was diagnosed using Gram staining with Nugent scoring and the Whiff test. Data were analysed using SPSS version 26.0. Associations between categorical variables were assessed using the chi-square test, with statistical significance set at P < 0.05. The association between T. vaginalis infection and BV was further assessed using an odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Of the 500 pregnant women screened, 118 (23.6%) were positive for T. vaginalis, 177 (35.4%) had BV, and 84 (16.8%) had both infections. T. vaginalis infection was significantly associated with age (χ² = 8.331, P = 0.040), occupation (χ² = 21.215, P = 0.002), douching (χ² = 3.997, P = 0.046), multiple sexual partnership (χ² = 36.594, P < 0.001), and previous antimicrobial use (χ² = 23.079, P < 0.001), but not pregnancy trimester, condom use, or previous STI history. BV was significantly associated with occupation (χ² = 31.050, P < 0.001), pregnancy trimester (χ² = 14.863, P < 0.001), douching (χ² = 5.877, P = 0.015), multiple sexual partnership (χ² = 27.441, P < 0.001), and previous antimicrobial use (χ² = 40.942, P < 0.001), but not age, condom use, or previous STI history. A strong association was observed between T. vaginalis infection and BV (χ² = 86.49, P < 0.0001); women with T. vaginalis infection had higher odds of BV (OR = 7.677, 95% CI: 4.778-12.12). In multivariable analysis, reporting multiple sexual partners was associated with lower adjusted odds of T. vaginalis infection (aOR = 0.05, 95% CI: 0.02-0.15). In BV increasing age (aOR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.03–1.09) was associated with higher adjusted odds, whereas second-trimester pregnancy (aOR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.20-0.56) and reporting multiple sexual partners (aOR = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.09-0.32) were associated with lower adjusted odds. The study revealed a substantial burden of T. vaginalis infection and BV among pregnant women in Minna, with frequent co-infection. The strong association between the two conditions shows the importance of appropriate laboratory diagnosis and integrated screening during antenatal care, particularly among women with identified behavioural risk factors.