The underestimated burden of placental schistosomiasis in endemic regions: Findings from a cross-sectional, diagnostic proof-of-concept study on placental schistosomiasis in Gabon
Fig 2
Flow diagram of screening, group allocation, follow-up, and placental results. Of 318 pregnant women screened by urine microscopy, 40 were positive for S. haematobium (infected group) and 278 were negative. A subset of negatives (n = 40) formed the non-infected control group; the remaining negatives (n = 238) were not followed up further. Placental tissue was available at delivery from 28 infected and 20 control participants (lost to follow-up: n = 12 and n = 20, respectively). Placental schistosomiasis—defined as the presence of S. haematobium eggs in placental tissue—was detected in 4/28 infected participants and 1/20 controls; the remainder were negative (24/28 and 19/20).