Résumé
During a mass treatment with ivermectin which is contraindicated to pregnant women, authors made a screening for pregnancy by questioning 2,580 women from 15 to 45 years old. 1,409 of these women were also interrogated by a female physician assisted by a native matron to detect pregnant women. In 1,798 women, at least one immunological pregnancy test has been used in the field. A nine months follow-up was made to check answers. Women's knowledge led to a good appreciation of pregnancy as they correctly appreciated their pregnancy from the second month: specificity was good (98 %) but sensitivity was moderate (71 %). Conclusions made by gynecological team after detailed questionnaire were more sensitive (80 %), but specificity decrease dramatically to 59 %. Combinations of several items in the questionnaire showed no benefit. Sensitivity of the various immunological pregnancy tests tried war; included in 70 to 90 % and specifiity was varying from 87 to 97 %.
Simple questioning of women was the most efficient method (efficiency value was 94 % against 63 % for interview and 92 % for pregnancy tests). However, the use of this method induced the risk that about 29 % of women have been treated although they were pregnant.