Pregnant Women Attract Mosquitoes, Chickens Repel Them, Says Study

Martins Ifijeh

Studies by a medical entomologist and technical adviser to the American Mosquito Control Association, Joseph Conlon, has shown that certain types of mosquitoes are attracted by pregnant women.

He said as a pregnant female breathes more due to the extra weight,mosquitoes will be attracted to her because they get attracted to carbon dioxide.”Plus, pregnant women have a warmer average body temperature, which is a cue for biting and landing.”

According to him, while mosquito bites are no more dangerous to pregnant women than anyone else, the stakes are higher for pregnant women.

In a related development, Ethiopian and Swedish scientists, through a joint research, have discovered that the odour from a live chicken could help repel mosquitoes.

According to the research conducted in western Ethiopia, it was learnt that malarial mosquitoes tend to avoid chickens and other birds. During the experiments, a live chicken was suspended in a cage near a volunteer sleeping under a bednet, which led to a situation whereby many mosquitoes avoided the area.
Apart from live chickens, compounds extracted from chicken feathers were also used in the experiments. Researchers also discovered that the number of mosquitoes found in the trap nearby “significantlyreduced” through the use of the chicken and the compounds.

The researchers then concluded that something in a chicken’s odour appeared to repel the mosquitoes. HabteTekie, who worked on the research, was quoted to have said the compounds from the chicken’s odour can be extracted and could work as a mosquito repellent.