Chagas disease among women of reproductive age: implications for maternal and child health policies
1
CUIDA Chagas, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Ministério da Saúde do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro / RJ, Brasil
2
Departamento de Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista / Bahia, Brasil
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A2287
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Chagas disease (CD) remains a significant public health problem in latin america, increasingly characterized by urbanization and alternative transmission mechanisms.1 Women of reproductive age represent a critical population for interrupting vertical transmission, yet screening and care remain fragmented in most health systems. 2-3
METHODS:
This abstract presents findings from the cuida chagas implementation research, conducted in primary health care settings in brazil. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) were integrated into routine services targeting women of reproductive age, including pregnant women, with referral for confirmatory serology, clinical evaluation, and treatment when indicated. Sociodemographic, epidemiological, and service-related data were analyzed to assess access, adherence, and programmatic gaps.
RESULTS:
Between 2023 and 2025, nearly 25000 women of reproductive age were screened in the following five Brazilian municipalities, covering all five macroregions: Riachão das Neves (BA), Paraúna (GO), Janaúba (MG), Igarapé-Miri (PA) and Rosário do Sul (RS). Most participants lived in urban areas and experienced socioeconomic vulnerabilities. Among screened women, RDT positivity reached 2.5%, with marked territorial heterogeneity. Pregnant women accounted for 18.4% of those tested, with an RDT positivity rate of 4.4%, reaching over 10% in high-prevalence municipalities. Despite the effectiveness of RDTs as a gateway to care, confirmatory testing losses remained significant, particularly where sample collection is centralized in central laboratories. In addition to CD confirmation, treatment also represents important barriers, as up to date, less than a third of the patients with confirmed CD have received treatment indications.
CONCLUSIONS:
CD among women of reproductive age highlights critical intersections between neglected tropical diseases, maternal and child health, and health equity. Integrating systematic screening into primary and prenatal care, decentralizing confirmatory diagnosis, and strengthening longitudinal follow-up are essential to prevent congenital transmission. These findings support the urgent inclusion of CD within maternal and child health policies and universal health system agendas.
Chagas disease (CD) remains a significant public health problem in latin america, increasingly characterized by urbanization and alternative transmission mechanisms.1 Women of reproductive age represent a critical population for interrupting vertical transmission, yet screening and care remain fragmented in most health systems. 2-3
METHODS:
This abstract presents findings from the cuida chagas implementation research, conducted in primary health care settings in brazil. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) were integrated into routine services targeting women of reproductive age, including pregnant women, with referral for confirmatory serology, clinical evaluation, and treatment when indicated. Sociodemographic, epidemiological, and service-related data were analyzed to assess access, adherence, and programmatic gaps.
RESULTS:
Between 2023 and 2025, nearly 25000 women of reproductive age were screened in the following five Brazilian municipalities, covering all five macroregions: Riachão das Neves (BA), Paraúna (GO), Janaúba (MG), Igarapé-Miri (PA) and Rosário do Sul (RS). Most participants lived in urban areas and experienced socioeconomic vulnerabilities. Among screened women, RDT positivity reached 2.5%, with marked territorial heterogeneity. Pregnant women accounted for 18.4% of those tested, with an RDT positivity rate of 4.4%, reaching over 10% in high-prevalence municipalities. Despite the effectiveness of RDTs as a gateway to care, confirmatory testing losses remained significant, particularly where sample collection is centralized in central laboratories. In addition to CD confirmation, treatment also represents important barriers, as up to date, less than a third of the patients with confirmed CD have received treatment indications.
CONCLUSIONS:
CD among women of reproductive age highlights critical intersections between neglected tropical diseases, maternal and child health, and health equity. Integrating systematic screening into primary and prenatal care, decentralizing confirmatory diagnosis, and strengthening longitudinal follow-up are essential to prevent congenital transmission. These findings support the urgent inclusion of CD within maternal and child health policies and universal health system agendas.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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