Malaria and pregnancy: a global health perspective

Abstract

Malaria, a parasitic infection transmitted by mosquitoes, is one of the most devastating infectious diseases, killing more than 1 million people annually. Pregnant women, children, and immunocompromised individuals have the highest morbidity and mortality, and Africa bears the heaviest burden. The World Health Organization defines malaria as a disease of poverty caused by poverty. Pregnant women infected with malaria usually have more severe symptoms and outcomes, with higher rates of miscarriage, intrauterine demise, premature delivery, low-birth-weight neonates, and neonatal death. They are also at a higher risk for severe anemia and maternal death. Malaria can be prevented with appropriate drugs, bed nets treated with insecticide, and effective educational outreach programs.

Keywords: Malaria, immunocompromised host; Malaria, neonates; Malaria, pregnancy; Plasmodium falciparum.

Figure 1

(A) World territories. The size of each territory shows the relative proportion of the world’s population. (B) Worldwide distribution of malaria cases. The size of each territory shows the proportion of all people living with malaria. (C) Worldwide distribution of malaria deaths. The size of each territory shows the proportion of worldwide deaths from malaria that occur there. © 2006 SASI Group (University of Sheffield) and Mark Newman (University of Michigan). Reproduced with permission.

Figure 2

Life cycle of malaria infection. Reproduced with permission from Jones MK, Good MF. Malaria parasites up close. Nat Med. 2006;12:170–171.

Figure 3

Severe anemia in the third trimester of pregnancy (hemocrit, 13%). Photo courtesy of J. Schantz-Dunn (Belladere, Haiti, 2008).